Creative Writing
by TouchofPixieDust
Summary: Once again, the evils of school wreaks havok with poor Inuyasha. A series of stand alone chapters. Assignment 29: "They want to catch her in a lie so they can punish her!" His fists thumped against the branch he was sitting on, raining leaves upon them. "I ain't gonna let that happen!"
1. Goodbye

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha belong to Rumiko Takahashi. The song/poem Goodbye belongs to Alicia Keys (from the book Alicia Keys: Tears for Water). However, this story belongs entirely to me

Chapter One: Goodbye

_There she is._ Inuyasha scowled. _What is she doing out here by herself?_ _Where is Sango?_ He scanned the area for demons before settling down to watch the girl. It irritated him that the demon slayer had left the girl out here alone and unprotected. She better have a VERY good explanation for putting the miko at risk like this.

Quickly he leapt from his tree to one closer to Kagome. It was, of course, to keep a closer eye on her. It had nothing to do with the fact that he had been away from her for too long today and he missed her. Or her scent. Nope.

Crouching down on the branch he tried to see what she was doing. With a snort of disdain he put his arms behind his head and leaned back against the tree. _More writing, _he thought grumpily._ She's always writing. What's so important about schoolwork anyhow? All it does is make her frustrated or mad. _He looked down at her from his hiding place. But she didn't seem frustrated or mad. In fact, she seemed a little sad. Inuyasha's gaze narrowed dangerously as he glared at the paper she was writing on. Something was hurting her, and he was certain that it had something to do with what she was writing. _Her scent,_ not that he noticed it but in passing, _never lies._

Just as he was about to hop down and demand to know what was going on, and perhaps do a little paper shredding, Sango came into view. Suddenly he felt more like demon slayer shredding. How DARE she leave Kagome unprotected like that! What if he didn't happen to be around to keep an eye on her? Yeah, okay, that wasn't very likely, but Sango didn't know that!

"Feeling any better?"

Sango smiled sheepishly at the gently spoken question. "Yes, thank you." She sat down next to Kagome with her hand rubbing her stomach. "I think that the food in that last village was poisoned."

Kagome grinned and twirled her pen between her fingers. "And you laughed at me for saying I'd rather have Ramen."

With a laugh, Sango sat down on the ground and leaned backwards until she was laying on the grass beside her friend. "At least I fared better than Miroku."

"Yeah, he shouldn't have had seconds."

"A lesson in being greedy?"

Kagome laughed merrily. Inuyasha smiled. He supposed he could forgive Sango, just this once. The reminder of the poor shape that the monk was in caused him to grimace. No way was he going back into THAT hut again. Not for a very very long time. He wondered if maybe Kagome could bring back some of that disinfectant spray. Sure it smelled nasty, but it was better than the smell of sickness. Luckily it was Shippo was volunteered to watch after him.

Inuyasha stretched his muscles. He was getting tired of sitting still. Now that Sango was here to watch over Kagome, he would go for a short run. It was unlikely that anyone would want dinner, but the dog demon decided he should probably go hunt up something just in case.

"Read it to me again, Kagome."

Hunting could wait.

Kagome sighed as she flipped back through her papers until she found the one she was looking for. Her scent had changed again as she looked at the page, gone from happy to sad. He would be remiss in his job of protector if he didn't find out what was bothering her. Right? He wasn't eavesdropping, he was gathering information to enable him to protect Kagome better.

Kagome began to speak softly. She spoke of loving someone that hurt her so bad, though his intentions had only ever been good. "But how do I let go when I loved him for so long I've given him all that I could?" She told how love might be a hopeless crime and asked "What went wrong with something once so good?"

Inuyasha's heart clenched and his lungs quit working. _Who hurt her? Was it me? Loved? Who? Hopeless? What went wrong?_ Frantically he began to search his memory for something he may have done for her to think it was hopeless.

Sure he wasn't as forward as Miroku, but then again, who was? But she knew how he felt, what was in his heart. He only told her in a zillion different ways. Okay, so maybe he never actually said the actual words, but she was smart. She had to know! She had to have figured it out by now. So how could she possibly think that it was hopeless? It made no sense!

_And what does she mean by letting go?_

Her soft voice asked how to find the words to say goodbye when her heart didn't have the heart to say goodbye.

No. No. He did NOT just hear that. He did not just hear her saying that she was going to tell him goodbye. It was impossible! She swore that she would stay with him! She promised! What could have made her change her mind? He felt sick.

Kagome said that she knew that she was naive and didn't know where "this", whatever "this was", would lead. She called him a good man, and asked how she could let go when she loved him for so long. "What went wrong with something once so good?"

His claws dug into the tree. What had gone wrong? What had he done? _How can she even CONSIDER letting me go?_ The worst part was that she wasn't even blaming him for anything, she was saying that he was a good man. At least if she had railed against him he could have tried to argue with her and change her mind.

He could have fought for her. For them!

And why was she saying "let go" again? She couldn't give up on them. She couldn't! _Keh, she may try letting go,_ Inuyasha thought angrily, _but I'm not letting her go!_ And considering how much stronger he was than her…

"How do you find the words to say to say goodbye, when your heart don't have the heart to say to say goodbye"

It was difficult to keep from growling. She wasn't going to go. That was all there was to it. She wasn't leaving. He would turn the well into a pile of splinters if he had to and burn them ashes. She was NOT saying goodbye to him. Not EVER.

His heart hurt so badly he wondered if it had literally broken in his chest. _Would she hate me if I kept her against her will? Could I live with her hating me? _He closed his eyes against the pain. He wasn't sure if he could live with that. But he knew for certain that there was no way that he could live without her.

Kagome asked if it was the end. Her voice strained as she said how hard it was to just let go of the one and only love she had ever known.

Before he saw the tears he could smell them. His guts twisted painfully. _What did I do?_ His grip on the tree tightened to keep himself from jumping down and stealing Kagome away. He had to think. He had to do something to keep her. Swearing silently he tried to figure out what he was going to do.

His ears drooped. She wasn't mad. Anger he could deal with. They would yell, he would get sat, her mood would improve, and things would go on the way they always did. She might leave, but she would always come back. That's the way things worked.

She repeated the words of how hard it was to say goodbye when her heart didn't have the heart to say it.

Plop.

He could actually hear the teardrop hitting the paper. But it was the tiny little sniffle that caused his heart to stop. _If only I could remember what I did._

"That was beautiful," the traitorous demon slayer said with a wistful sigh.

Inuyasha glared at her. _Beautiful? BEAUTIFUL?_ The words that were tearing his life into tiny shreds and killing him in the most brutal way possible were BEAUTIFUL? How could Sango say that? It was practically the same as encouraging Kagome to leave him! Were they all in this? Did they all want to keep Kagome away from him?

"Goodbye," Kagome said softly, as if the word wasn't destroying him.

That was IT!

The miko opened her mouth to say something else, but it ended up merely being a wooshing sound as the air escaped out of her lungs. That thing tends to happen when a hanyou swoops out of nowhere and throws a girl over his shoulder to jump into the treetops away from heartless demon slayers.

Inuyasha felt Kagome's heart race as she peered waaaay down at the ground.

"What is WITH you?" she demanded in a strained whisper. Inuyasha was sure that she meant to scream it, but her little trip up made her a little breathless.

"Goodbye?" The word was filled with venom and accusation. "Goodbye?" He landed roughly onto a sturdy branch and set Kagome away from him, worried that the extreme stress would cause the demon inside of him to do something unforgivable. "You're not leaving me, Kagome!"

"Huh?"

"You. Are. Not. Leaving. Me."

He could have sworn that the miko's lips twitched, flirting with a smile. But surely she wouldn't be smiling while she ripped his heart from his chest. Though she almost looked amused while she made herself a little more comfortable on the tree branch. Her eyes sparkled merrily, which confused him. He had never thought of her as sadistic before. Well, maybe sometimes when she was really mad and the number of 'sits' went well into the double digits, but that was completely different.

"Leaving you?"

After a blue streak of curses, Inuyasha finally growled out, "I heard you, Kagome. I heard you say you were going to leave me."

"Hmmm…" She put her finger thoughtfully to her chin. "I don't recall saying that I was leaving you, Inuyasha."

The growling stopped and he lowered his hand, after being slightly startled that he had been pointing at her accusingly. "How do I find the words to say goodbye?" he quoted, not quite able to conceal the slight crack in his voice.

The amusement disappeared from her eyes immediately. His heart fell once more as she leaned forward with a serious look on her face. This was it. She was going to try to leave him. "Try" being the operative word. He had no doubt that it would be a battle to keep her, but he was Inuyasha, and he would not give up without a fight.

And this was the most important fight of his life.

"Inuyasha," she started gently, "My grades in school have been rather… well… bad. I've missed so many classes that I'm starting to fail. If I fail, then they will keep me back and I will have to repeat the grade."

"Repeat it?" He wanted to shake her until her teeth rattled to get her back to the discussion of her attempting to leave him, but he figured that would be a little counterproductive at this point. He prayed to the gods for the patience for her to get back on the subject.

"Yeah. It means that all the work I did this year for school will count for nothing, and I will have to do it all over again next year. It also means that instead of graduating in two years, I'll be graduating in three."

His ears drooped. _It was my fault after all._ "If I had let you go to more classes then you wouldn't be…"

Her fingers touched his lips, silencing him instantly. "I can work hard and catch up. Most of my teachers are letting me test out of the class. That means," she explained patiently, "That instead of going to class, I take one test that covers all the material we learned. If I pass the test, then I pass the class. But some of my classes aren't letting me just take the test to pass."

Inuyasha glared. He just KNEW that it was that stupid "school" that was at the bottom of this. Were they making her leave him? Can you kill a school?

"One class I'm failing is language arts," she said calmly, while Inuyasha thought of ways to dispose of this evil school thing. "My teacher gave me an extra credit assignment for the school year. It is a creative writi… Inuyasha, are you listening to me?" He nodded, letting his eyes focus back on her, hoping his sudden bloodlust didn't show.

"It's a creative writing assignment. Each day there is a different topic I'm supposed to write about. Some days I'm supposed to write a journal entry on a favorite memory. Some days I have to write a story. And sometimes, like today, I'm supposed to write down a favorite poem or song lyrics and write about my feelings on them. I chose the poem "Goodbye" by Alicia Keys."

He cocked his head to one side. He wanted to speak, but if he did that, Kagome might remember that her finger was still on his lips and try to move them. So instead he tried to will her to hear his question.

She sighed. "It wasn't my poem, Inuyasha. I didn't write it. I just liked it, so now I have to write about my feelings on it. That is my assignment."

A part of him ached when she moved her finger from him. "You aren't leaving?"

"You can't get rid of me that easy, Inuyasha," she laughed.

"Keh."

"This entry has to be between 200 and 250 words long. Do you want me to read you what I wrote?" she asked as she flipped open the bright red journal that she still had clutched in her hands.

He shrugged and said he didn't care one way or the other, unaware that his twitching ear gave away his interest. With a smile she found the right page and began to read out loud.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

"Goodbye" by Alicia Keys.

I was flipping through a book called "Alicia Keys: Tears for Water" when I ran across this poem. The title caught my eye. Maybe it was the way it was written, I don't know. But something about it made me stop and read it, even though I had passed by dozens of others that I didn't even bother to skim.

The first time I read it I actually cried. I know it may sound corny, but it spoke to me. It reminded me of a time when I felt like I had lost the only man I had ever loved. I remember trying to think of how I was going to possibly tell him "goodbye". The thought of leaving him forever was frightening. Worse than that, really. It was like I would be losing a part of my soul forever.

I know that some people don't consider song lyrics to be poetry. But if it touches your heart, makes you cry or laugh or feel anything at all, then to me it counts.

It makes me wonder what my life would have been like had I said "goodbye". I can hardly imagine how empty and colorless my life would be. Will I ever say it? I don't know. I hope not.

Word Count: 215

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

"Well?" Kagome asked timidly.

"Idiot," he mumbled to himself as he picked her up. A part of him was terrified and furious that she had actually thought of leaving him. Seriously! And another part of him soared at how the thought of that was as painful to her as it was to him. He wanted to ask her what she meant by 'I hope not', but didn't dare. At least not now, not when he felt like he had taken a trip through the firey pits of Hades. Instead he hopped down from tree branch to tree branch to take her back to Sango.

"What was that?" she asked with the threat of 'sit' in her voice.

"I have to go check on that idiot, Miroku," he said quickly as he sped off into the forest. He could have sworn that he heard her call him a coward. But it didn't matter. Kagome wasn't leaving.

She wasn't telling him goodbye.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Notes:

Just to let you know, the chapters in this story will vary in length and content, depending on Kagome's current assignment. Hope you enjoy!

Thanks Shoomy2003 for warning me that songfics were not allowed. So I rewrote that section in hopes that it works better.


	2. Silver and Gold

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha belong to Rumiko Takahashi. However, this story and the poems in this chapter belong entirely to me

Chapter Two: #2 Silver and Gold

Assignment #2

You will write a Quatrain style poem about your favorite color. Though I encourage creativity, you must learn to be creative within boundaries. Examples of rhyming schemes can be abab, abba, or aabb.

"What are you writing now, Kagome?" asked Shippo as he looked up from his newest work of art. It was a colorful picture of Kagome giving him a big hug with lots of hearts while Inuyasha was unconscious from a particularly painful 'sit'.

"I'm trying to write a poem about my favorite color," she grumbled as she scratched out another stanza. "But it's just not working! I don't have a favorite color!"

"What about blue? You like blue don't you? You always like looking at the sky or the water. You could write about blue."

"Hmmm… that's not a bad idea, Shippo." She wrote down the word 'blue'. It was a good word, plus there were so many words that rhymed with blue. It should be a snap to finish up the poem.

"Lady Kagome also seems partial to the color of yellow," said Miroku, ignoring the sting of the red handprint on his face. "The bag she brings us is yellow. She also seems drawn to many of the yellow butterflies and flowers that we see on our journey. And the sun, full of warmth and life."

"Perhaps pink," suggested Sango as she shook her hand a bit to take the slight sting out of it. "The Shikon jewel is pink. And the energy you emit when you use your weapon is pink."

Kagome sighed. It seemed that everyone else seemed to come up with colors with no effort whatsoever, and she had spent all day struggling with finding one single reason for one single color. Yellow was a good color. It was a happy color, and so was pink. She nibbled at her lip, but neither one of them were here favorite color. _This stupid poem shouldn't be so hard!_

After another sigh she let her gaze wander over to Inuyasha, who was zipping around the campsite making sure that it was secure. Smiling, she began to write. He always seemed to be a blur of colors when he did that.

A flash of light

Color of the moonlight snow

When flying high or flying low

Silver, almost white

A flash so bright

Warm Honey, amber, metal ore

Always leaves me wanting more

Golden sight.

She had to admit that silver and gold were two of her favorite colors, but only because they reminded her of her favorite hanyou. But the assignment said 'color'. Singular. She wondered if she could get away with having two favorite colors. Probably not. Turning her pencil around she prepared to erase. A flash of silver caught her eyes, and she looked up to see Inuyasha looking down at her with those golden eyes of his.

"Are you still working on that stupid poem?" he complained. "Where's the ramen?"

"The water isn't boiling yet, idiot."

He stomped a short distance away and stared at the pot, waiting for it to boil. She wanted to make a comment to him about watched pots, but decided to keep it to herself. It was more fun to watch him watching in anticipation. It made him seem less of a warrior and more of kid. She frowned. _Though he was never really a kid, at least not for very long. _Drawing her knees up to her chin she studied him, slowly beginning to smile again. Maybe that's what made these moments even more special.

"What's it about?"

"Hmm?"

He continued to watch the pot, waiting for it to boil. "The assignment."

"My favorite color. I have to write a poem about my favorite color." She held up her hand. "And don't say the color red because it is the color of the enemy's blood."

Inuyasha smirked while Miroku, Sango, and Shippo snickered.

Unable to bring herself to throw away the poem she wrote, Kagome carefully tore it out of her notebook and tucked it into her backpack. She could tell that the dog demon was watching her out of the corner of his eye, so she tried to act as nonchalant as possible. It would be awful if he read it. It wasn't like it was the best poem ever, but worse than a critique on lousy poetry, what if he figured out why those were her favorite colors?

Luckily she was saved from further speculation as the pot of water began to bubble.

All during dinner, Kagome kept stealing glances at Inuyasha. More than once Sango or Shippo had to bring her attention back to the conversation. Either Inuyasha didn't notice her behavior, or he was really good at ignoring it.

Almost as soon as the containers were packed back away, Sango began yawning dramatically. Quickly she encouraged the others to get ready for bed. Inuyasha didn't say anything about her unusual behavior either. Shippo was confused, but Miroku helped Sango convince the kit that they needed to get to bed early so that they could get an early start the next day.

Picking up her journal, Kagome began to doodle in the margins as she thought about colors. She had just decided on the color gold when the journal disappeared from her hands.

"Hey!"

Inuyasha walked off with her journal and she chased after him. Her mind raced. Did she pull out those other pages of doodles and half written sappy poems? She prayed that she had the presence of mind to burn those as she raced after the now trotting hanyou.

By the time she caught up with him, he had already plopped down on the ground and was in the process of lying back on the grass. Quickly Kagome snatched the journal from him. She scanned the pages and breathed a sigh of relief when she found that there was nothing incriminating in there. Whew!

"I like this color," he said as he stared at the sky.

Kagome looked up at the black sky and twinkling stars. Tossing the journal to the side, Kagome sat beside him. "The sky or the stars?"

"Yeah."

She smiled. As usual she sought out the first star she had noticed before closing her eyes and making her wish. She didn't care if it was superstitious or silly, it was something she enjoyed doing. Every night she made a wish on the first star that she saw. When she opened her eyes, she noticed Inuyasha staring at her.

"Why do you like it so much?"

His eyes moved back to the sky. "It's when we talk. When it's just us. It's our time. Our sky."

Kagome's mouth opened in shock. Did he really just say that? Was he suffering from a concussion? Under a curse? Body snatched?

"The brat isn't annoying me and those other two aren't groping and fighting." Okay, that sounded more like him.

"So, black is your favorite color then?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "Blue."

"Blue?"

"The runt had the right color. Write it down."

"Blue?"

His eyes were unusually serious as they slowly moved from the stars to her own eyes. "Yes."

"Why blue?"

He snorted in disgust. "Think about it, wench."

"The sky?" He rolled his eyes. "Water?"

"No, though you are obsessed with the stuff."

"I'm not obsessed. I'm hygienic."

"Feh."

She ignored the smart alecky response and began thinking of other reasons why blue was the color to choose. "Birds? Butterflies? Flowers?"

He glared at her before glancing to the west. "Are you being stupid on purpose?"

The word 'sit' was on her lips, and Inuyasha didn't even flinch. In fact, by the drooping ears it almost looked like his feelings were hurt. What would have hurt his feelings? Surely it wasn't because she couldn't guess why blue was his favorite color. Was it? Kagome looked off to the west as well. _What was to the west? Kaede's? The well?_

The well.

More specifically, the blue light that comes from the well when it is used to transport them from one era to the other. The blue light also signals him when she returns from her time his. It brings him to her, or her to him. One way or another, traveling through the blue light brings them back together.

"I kind of like blue too," she smiled.

He relaxed and handed her the journal. "Write it down before you forget it."

"Bossy," she grumbled good naturedly as she took the journal from him. She began to write. There were so many reasons now to write about 'blue' besides the fact that there were a zillion words that rhymed with it.

"Are you done yet?"

"Be patient, I just got started." He waited a whole two minutes before asking again, sitting up to peer over her shoulder. "Quit looking over my shoulder. You're stifling my creative juices."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to say something, and closed it again. Instead he waited, watching her write in her book. He relaxed a bit when he saw her smiling. He smirked when he saw her cheeks grow pink. Watching her,he decided, was actually rather fun. And enlightening. She may not think that he saw those glances under her lashes that she threw his direction, but he never ever missed a thing about Kagome Higurashi.

After awhile she snapped her journal shut and smiled in his direction.

"Aren't you going to read it to me?"

"Don't be so nosy, Inuyasha."

"But I helped!"

"I'm going to bed." She got up and walked back to camp where her friends were busy pretending to be asleep.

"Ungrateful, wench!"

He watched as she stuffed her homework back into her bag and got ready for bed. Once she was securely in bed he jumped up to his usual tree branch to keep watch over his pack. He could tell that she was keeping an eye on him, so he made sure to stretch and yawn before placing his hands behind his head and settling down to sleep.

Eventually Kagome's heart beat and breathing slowed. She was asleep. Silently he jumped to the ground and dug through the backpack carefully. With his luck she would have things in a specific order so that she would be able to tell if anyone had gone through her bag. _Tricky wench_, he thought proudly. There did seem to be an order to it. Luckily he saw some cups of ramen below the journal. He would just wake up early and send the kit digging for food. That way the bag would be a mess and it wouldn't be his fault!

He picked up the journal and found the page that had the word "Blue" written across the top, and he began to read.

Green and red, silver and gold

Beautiful, yes, but truth be told

Nothing is as beautiful as blue

It brings you to me and me to you.

He wanted the poem. He wanted to keep it forever. Would she miss the journal if it suddenly disappeared? He cursed. _Yeah, she would. And she'd blame ME! _There was no choice but to put the stupid thing back where he found it. Tightening his grip on the journal he looked back at the bag. It was a long time until morning.

He could read it over and over again until then.


	3. Kong

Disclaimer: Neither the characters of Inuyasha, nor the book or movie (any of them) of King Kong belong to me. However, this story does. WARNING: Spoiler for King Kong. If you haven't seen it and don't want to know how it ends, don't read this chapter.

Chapter Three: #3 Kong

Assignment #3

Learn to see other paths in life. Write an alternate ending to the last movie you saw. If it was your story, how would you end it?

"Push him off the tower!" growls a young woman angrily.

"Kagome!"

A louder, more masculine growl erupted when his girl got scolded. Kagome turned and gave Inuyasha a small smile of gratitude before turning to look innocently at the female beside her with short dark hair. _Was her name Eri? Keh, they all the same._

"Shush and just watch the movie." Kagome sulked at the reprimand and sunk down lower in her chair and took another sip of her watered down soda.

Inuyasha growled again at the female who kept hissing at Kagome. He wouldn't have agreed to come to this stupid movie thing if he had known that they would run into those three females. When Kagome had explained what her assignment was, he didn't see any harm in going along with her. After all, sitting in the dark surrounded by strangers didn't seem very safe. And since it was his job to keep her safe…

And it was a good thing he came too! There were males sniffing around everywhere! It was like there were a million Mirokus! He couldn't believe that some of them had the NERVE to make a pass at Kagome with HIM standing RIGHT THERE! There wasn't a pure thought among them, either. He hated the way that they were looking at Kagome. They might have been looking at the other females with them too, but they weren't his problem. Oh sure, he'd protect them if he had to since Kagome seemed attached to them.

Initially he had tried to keep his body between Kagome and the males trying to get her attention. But as sure as he'd block one side, there would be something happening on the other. If it wasn't males trying to attract her, then it was couples touching each other inappropriately. Miroku would fit right in, now that he thought about it.

And the things the females wore! How did their families let them leave the house wearing those things. Or not wearing them as the case may be. The suit Kagome bathes in, not that he looked of course, covered more than some of those outfits! Seeing how common it was to wear such things made Inuyasha a little nervous. Just to be safe he'd go check out Kagome's closet when they got home.

It had actually been a relief to go into the theater and have the lights dim, regardless of the sticky floors (he'd thank Kagome later for forcing him to wear the shoes) and cramped up seats. When the movie started she focused entirely on the screen, though occasionally she would make quiet comments meant for his ears only.

Of course he had seen movies before, but only on the television at Kagome's home. The giant screen was great, though it was a bit too loud for his sensitive hearing. He was almost grateful for the baseball cap that at least muffled it a little bit.

There were so many smells around that it took Inuyasha a few moments to notice the smell of Kagome's tears. He was about to demand that she tell him what was wrong when he noticed that those weren't sad tears, they were angry ones. Quickly he tried to think of what he might have done that would have ticked her off to spark that pink glow that seemed to be catching her hair on fire. Stealing her popcorn didn't seem like a purifying offense, and it looked like she was two seconds from purifying something.

"Let's go grab a burger!" suggested one of the females cheerfully.

The other two agreed quickly. Kagome was a little more slow to say, "Sure."

Inuyasha followed them silently. Before the movie the three females had tried to rope him into conversation. Stubbornly he kept his mouth shut. He was glad when they finally quit, though he wasn't too sure he liked the look in their eyes. It was the same look he had seen people give when judging livestock, and he didn't seem to be measuring up. _Like I care. Their opinions don't matter. _But what if their opinions mattered to Kagome? Keeping an eye out for possible dangers, Inuyasha followed them to the fast food place that always smelled so good. He let Kagome order for him, though he did remind her that he didn't like the cheese that tasted like plastic.

So far he had been ignoring the conversation. They were still talking about the movie, and he wasn't sure what he thought about it. All he knew was that it left him feeling… sad. The humans took away the only thing he loved, that he risked his life to protect. Would that be his fate? Would the humans, her friends or that boy who seeks her out, end up being the ones who would try to take Kagome away from him?

"It was romantic," one of the females sighed.

"I thought so too, Yuka," another female sighed. "But Kagome had to go and ruin a perfectly good romantic scene by telling Ann to through the writer off of the building." She wadded up an empty wrapper and lobbed it at Kagome's head.

A clawed hand shot out and grabbed the wrapper before it could touch Kagome, her ducked her head down so he wouldn't see her sudden grin. He smirked, more at the thought that she thought she could hide anything from him than from her smile. As quick as the warm feeling came, it was replaced by a molten anger. How DARE that female throw anything at Kagome!

Before he could retaliate, Kagome snatched the balled up wrapper from his hand and chunked it at her friend's head. It bounced off the middle of her forehead, causing Inuyasha to grin. Only he didn't bother to try and hide his.

"She should have pushed him off the tower," Kagome insisted as she angrily chewed on a French fry as if punishing it.

"That's stupid!"

Inuyasha clenched his fist. NO ONE called Kagome stupid! Well, except for him, but that was an entirely different matter. Once again his attempt at teaching these females a lesson was thwarted. This time it was by Kagome's hand on his. He let her hold his hand, but continued to glare at the girls. If she wasn't going to let him shred them physically, then he could do it verbally. He opened his mouth to speak.

"He was partly to blame for King Kong's fate," Kagome growled. Inuyasha shut his mouth. _What the heck was she so mad about?_ "She was going to stay with Kong."

Eri tsk tsked and shook her head. "Kagome, she couldn't stay with a monster. She had to go back to where she belonged."

"What if she didn't belong there anymore?"

Yuka laughed. "Oh Kagome! You're so silly. Of course she belongs with her own kind. She would never have been happy living with a monster."

"I thought it was sad how lonely he was," said the third female, the one who seemed the least offensive of the three. "I bet Ann was the only happy thing that ever happened to him. It was awful when he died."

Kagome reached over with her free hand and wiped the tear from the other female's eye. "I cried too, Ayumi." To Inuyasha's horror, Kagome's eyes began tearing up too.

"It wasn't awful," disagreed Inuyasha gruffly. "He died protecting her. He had no regrets."

"She would not have wanted him to die, Inuyasha. She would have wanted him to live, no matter what," Kagome said softly, lowering her eyes. "They could have found a way to be together."

Eri threw a fry (which was intercepted by an irate hanyou who really wanted her to quit throwing things before she got thrown out the window) at Kagome and scoffed, "Oh Kagome, she can't live with a monster. She can't possibly love him. She can't love a monster."

Inuyasha's heart stopped beating as Eri just voiced his worst fears. His only conciliation was the look of firey death Kagome was giving her. The others didn't seem to notice how she took slow deep breaths to calm her flaring aura. They didn't hear her whisper to herself reminders that they didn't know. When she finally raised her eyes again she was smiling, albeit a forced smile.

"I'm rewriting the ending," she informed them as she grabbed a bunch of napkins from the holder. She reached into her bag and took out a pen.

"What… now?" asked Yuka.

Kagome made a noise and started writing on the napkin with her purple inked pen.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Ann watched in despair as the light left Kong's golden eyes. He gave his life for hers. He loved her so much that he actually gave his life for hers! It wasn't fair! He should have been back in his world where he was a king, not here where he was seen as a monster and a freak.

In horror she watched as his muscles fell slack. The strong body that could fight off any monster, no matter how deadly or dangerous, began to fall. It felt as if her heart had been ripped out of her chest. After all he had done for her, she couldn't protect him from her world. She had failed him. She truly was destined to have everyone in her life leave her, even this mighty king.

A sound behind her finally made her turn. It was Jack Driscoll, a man she hadn't seen since she stepped back off the boat, since his refusal to help her free Kong. He opened her arms and she ran into them. It didn't matter who he was right then, she needed comfort. She needed to cry. It was unfair! If only she hadn't gone with Jack when he came for her. If only the others hadn't ambushed them for the prospect of money. If only Jack had let her off the boat to calm Kong down, after all, it was her that he wanted, not the others.

They killed Kong. They killed her friend.

Suddenly Ann was filled with rage. It burned inside of her. She put her hands on Jack's chest and pushed. Hard. Without turning to see where he landed, Ann fled down the ladder, determined to have her revenge.

When she finally made it to the bottom floor she stepped out of the elevator and stormed out the door. Her stomach heaved when she saw the body of her friend laying at the bottom of the building. Her eyes flooded with tears as she ran to his side. A few yards in front of her she noticed one of the others responsible for Kong's murder, the director, Carl Denham.

She heard him say that it was beauty that killed the beast. He was blaming HER?

Unable to contain her anger, she rushed at him. Turning him to face him, she pulled back her fist and punched him in the nose. She didn't break it, so she punched him again. And again. She would have continued her assault if two of the police officers had not restrained her.

As they forced her back towards their car she screamed and cried.

No one noticed a muscle twitch in the giant eye at hearing the scream. They noticed when he started pushing himself off of the ground, battered and broken. They noticed when his golden eyes glowed red in rage and he screamed his own cry. He turned towards where he heard Ann. He saw the men trying to take her away.

No one was ever taking her from him again.

Nothing was safe in his path as he tried to reach her. The police abandoned her to her fate as they, too, ran. But not her. Not Ann. She walked to him, tears streaming down her face.

This place was not safe for Kong. There was only one thing to do, find a way back to Skull Island. Surely the captain would help. Ann glared off towards where she knew the ships would be. He would help. She would make sure of it. It was her promise to Kong.

It was her turn to protect him.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

"Umm… wasn't that a little… violent?" asked Eri nervously.

Kagome gave her an evil smile that caused Inuyasha to chuckle. "Not nearly violent enough."

"Maybe you can add in some sword fights," suggested the hanyou incognito.

"There were no swords in the movie," she laughed.

Yuka cleared her throat, pushing aside her milkshake. "Do you really think she will be happy with a monster, Kagome?"

His companion didn't bother to hide her grin as she gathered her napkins and stacked them in a pile, "Maybe she doesn't think he's a monster. Maybe she will be happy just so long as he's with her." She looked at Inuyasha and gave him a different sort of smile. Quickly he had to turn his head before anyone saw him blush.

"It's unrealistic," said Yuka, "The monster was dead. He wouldn't come back to life just because the girl was screaming."

"I don't know about that," Inuyasha said softly, still making sure to not have contact with Kagome's eyes, "I don't think that even death could keep him from protecting the one he loves."

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Notes:

Obviously I went to see King Kong and was dissatisfied with the ending. I'm more of a 'and they lived happily ever after' kinda person. Honest to goodness, my first response was that she should push the guy off the building and avenge Kong.


	4. Monody

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Chapter Three: #4 Monody

Assignment #4

Write a monody poem, a poem where one person laments someone's death. It can be a real person, a fictional person, someone you knew or didn't know. You can be serious or whimsical. It is up to you.

"Kagome has been depressed all day," whispered Sango.

Miroku nodded. "I agree. Perhaps she and Inuyasha have had another disagreement."

"Suppose he hurt her feelings again?"

"If so, I am surprised she has not yet returned to her time."

"Maybe it has something to do with Kikyo," whispered Shippo as he joined in the conversation. "She only gets this depressed when he goes to see Kikyo."

Inuyasha's eye began to twitch. Did they really think that he couldn't hear them? Or were they doing it on purpose just to irritate him? Instead of yelling at them he concentrated on the girl walking quietly behind him. She really was being unusually quiet. Shippo hit too close to home when he said that she was acting the way she would when he had been to check up on Kikyo. He frowned. Had the other priestess had contact with Kagome that he didn't know about? Had she dared to threaten her again?

Surely she wasn't doubting his heart again. She must know how he felt. After all, if he had been in love with Kikyo he would have been traveling with her. Yeah, if Kikyo happened to be around he would go see if she had any news about Naraku and see how she was doing. He felt a responsibility towards her. He cared for her. Though he didn't trust her, especially not with Kagome. For as long as Kikyo walks the earth, he had to keep an eye out for her when she was near.

However, it was Kagome that he was unable to be parted with for more than three days in a row without going stark raving mad. Didn't that tell her SOMETHING? Inuyasha snorted, but Kagome was never very logical when it came to Kikyo.

But the dead priestess hadn't been seen in weeks. And no one had spoken her name or anything since that day they ran across her. It didn't make sense that she would be sulking over it now. Surely the girl wouldn't be making herself miserable on purpose by thinking of stuff from the past.

Inwardly Inuyasha cringed. Yeah, she would.

There really was only one way to find out for sure. And that was to ask. But no one wanted to ask for fear of opening up an emotional maelstrom.

Two seconds later, Inuyasha exploded. "WHAT is WRONG with you, wench?"

Instead of blowing up at him like he expected, Kagome shrugged one shoulder and looked off to the side as she plodded along, keeping her face hidden. "Nothing is wrong, Inuyasha." She would have kept walking if he hadn't been blocking her path.

"Don't lie to me!" It infuriated him when she did this to him! He wasn't a mind reader! How was he supposed to fix the problem if he doesn't know what the problem is?

"Tell me!" he insisted.

He almost wished that he hadn't insisted when she raised her eyes. They were filled with pain. He watched as she looked at him. Then she looked at Shippo. Then Sango. Then Miroku. Finally she looked back at him. Worse than the pain, he saw shame in her eyes before she ducked her head back down.

"It's no big deal, okay."

He wanted to shake her until she confessed, but she looked so miserable that he couldn't bring himself to do anything other than grunt and allow her to keep moving.

They didn't run across any monsters or any rumors about jewel shards or Naraku. All in all, the day was pretty much a bust. But they kept moving until dark, just in case there might be some word. Strangely enough, Kagome didn't complain once about the long trek. That had Inuyasha worried.

Dinner was a quiet affair, even Shippo wasn't full of questions or tricks or demands. Instead they all tried to figure out what Inuyasha had done to cause such a melancholy mood. Even Inuyasha.

"What is your assignment this time?" asked Shippo when Kagome pulled out her journal.

Her eyes shimmered, and Inuyasha was petrified that the tears would start falling. She looked away, blinked a few times, then turned back to Shippo. No tear tracks, but her eyes were still too shiny. Her bottom lip trembled just a bit before she answered.

"I have to write another poem."

"What about?"

Inuyasha's claws dug into the tree bark as he realized that it was the assignment that was making Kagome so miserable. He wanted to pound Shippo for not dropping the subject.

"I have to write a monody."

"What's a monody?"

She cleared her throat. "Um… it's a poem that you write about someone who has died. Lamenting their death."

"Lamenting?"

"Mourning."

"Ohhh…"

The group quietly watched the fire, thinking about the ones they lost in their lives. Usually they spent all their time trying to forget. What a horrible assignment! They watched as Kagome began writing in her journal. She seemed hesitant to look anyone in the eyes. Inuyasha wondered why.

He was about to ask her when he noticed that the others were glaring at him again. _Oh for… what have I done NOW?_

Then he realized what they were telling him. It must be Kikyo that she is writing about. That's why she looks as depressed as she usually is when Kikyo is around or is mentioned. _Now because of this stupid assignment, everyone is blaming me for Kagome being all weepy and emotional._ He wanted to chew them out for such an unfair accusation, whether or not they actually voiced it didn't matter, when he noticed how intently Kagome was concentrating on her paper.

He would chew them out later when Kagome wasn't around.

Kagome wrote and erased even as the others fell asleep. Once again, it was only Kagome and Inuyasha who remained awake. Relief filled him as she finally closed her book gently. He watched as she set her hand on the front of the journal, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. When she opened them again she had a watery sort of smile.

"Feeling better?"

Kagome looked up and smiled a real smile. "Yeah."

"Finished with the poem?"

"Yeah."

He wanted to ask if he could read it. He was literally aching to read it! It was taking all of his control to not snatch the book out of her hands. When his fingers twitched in anticipation of grabbing the book he stuffed his hands in the arms of his fire rat robe. He wasn't going to get 'sat' for being curious.

The laugh caught him off guard. It was a small, sad laugh, but it was still a laugh.

"You want to read it?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Not like I care or anything."

She shrugged in return and turned to put the book back in her bag. Inuyasha ignored the giggle as he ripped it out of her hands.

"Just so you don't nag me to read it later when I'm too busy," he explained.

He waited until she turned the page to the right place. She bit her lip, leaving her hand over the page. Her eyes were serious as she looked at him.

"Don't laugh… I know it's not too good… just please don't laugh."

His stomach felt sick. "I promise."

She moved her hand and let him read her poem.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

There was never anyone alive

Who could have filled your shoes

No matter how much they strive

They are doomed to lose.

You were the light of love

You chased the dark away

You held the stars above

You held demons at bay.

All who ever knew you

Had no choice but to say

Nothing you could do

Could ever go astray.

Always the image of perfection

The one others hope to be

The object of so much affection

You were kindess and tranquility.

You left behind a hole

That no one can ever fill

So many hearts you stole

Death is such a bitter pill.

No other can your sweetheart love

Because nothing can compare

One day in those stars above

You love will meet you there.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Emotions threatened to choke the hanyou. His heart ached. _She can't believe this. She can't! _When he turned towards her, she was already crying. Before he could say anything she launched herself into his arms and sobbed.

"Kagome…" he whispered into her hair.

His stomach felt even sicker. He glared at the others when they peeked at the scene near the campfire. For a little privacy, he scooped her up and took off with her into the trees. Once they were well out of earshot he set her down. She continued to rest her head on his chest as she tried to get herself under control.

He had to explain to her. For once and for all he had to lay her fears to rest. She can't go around thinking that he was pining after Kikyo! He couldn't let her hurt like this!

"I miss him," she whispered.

Huh?

"Kagome…"

"I miss my father." The words were broken as she began to cry again.

Inuyasha held her head to his shoulder and let her cry. She never talked about her father. The others, all of them, even him, all talked about the ones they loved who had passed on so tragically. He remembered the look of shame in her eyes. Did she think that by allowing herself to mourn the loss of her father that she was trying to diminish the pain of the others? Did she not think that just because she still had one parent who was alive that it made her pain any less important? What in the world is in that girl's head?

He could have asked what she was thinking, but he didn't. He could have talked to her about Kikyo, but he didn't do that either.

For the moment he was just going to hold her and let her cry.


	5. Romeo and Juliet

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Romeo and Juliet belongs to Shakespeare, but this story belongs to me. WARNING: Spoilers galore for Romeo and Juliet.

Romeo and Juliet

A Story of a Demon and a Priestess

Assignment #5: 

Re-write a scene from a play. It can be a classical play or one that is modern. Your story must be written in the same format as the original play. In other words, it must be a script. You may use one paragraph to sum up the story up to the point where your narration takes over. If needed, you may also use one paragraph to explain how the story ends. Your portion of the script must have at least fifty lines. You may change the characters in the play, but try to stay on track with the original story. For example, you can re-write Hamlet using a pig as the main character.

"Another writing assignment?" asked Miroku.

Kagome nodded, looking up from her book at the monk. Miroku and Sango had been a few yards ahead of her. She blushed and quickened her steps as she realized that they were waiting for her to catch up.

"Why are you reading if you're supposed to be writing?" asked Shippo. The fox kit had grown board of Kagome's silence earlier and had spent most of his day trying to pick a fight with Inuyasha. When that had failed, he found himself walking with Kirara and chasing the occasional jumping bug.

"Yes. I have to find a scene in a play and re-write it. So I thought I should read the play again so I could remember what it was about."

"What is it about?" asked Sango.

"It's about a boy and a girl who loved each other very much, but their families said that they couldn't see each other anymore. So they try to find a way to be together."

Sango smiled warmly. "That sounds very sweet."

"They died."

She hadn't meant to actually just blurt it out like that. It just kind of happened. She wondered when she lost her sense of tact. Maybe she had been spending toooo much time with Inuyasha. The silence was almost deafening as she finally reached the rest of the group.

"Were they killed?" asked Shippo as he jumped on her shoulder, glad to have her attention again. "Was it a demon?"

"No demon, Shippo. In the end they killed themselves. Juliet had taken a potion to make it seem like she was dead so that she could be with Romeo. Romeo found her and thought she was dead, so he killed himself. She woke up and found him dead, so she killed herself."

"Very… romantic?"

Kagome smiled at how diplomatic Sango was trying to be. When summed up like that it seemed less romantic and more horrific.

"It is a Tragedy."

"Indeed," commented Miroku.

"Shakespeare, he's the one who wrote it, though some people speculate that it was more than one person or even a woman, anyhow, he wrote lots of plays. Some were Comedies. Some here Historical and some were Tragedies. Romeo and Juliet was a Tragedy."

"He writes depressing stuff on purpose?" asked Shippo curiously.

"Yes."

"And people read it on purpose?"

Kagome laughed, she couldn't help it. Reading depressing stories was not her first choice. She was more of a 'and they lived happily ever after' kind of girl. "I guess so. Anyhow, there is a lot more to the play than that of course. I'm just going to re-write the ending. I'll write it the way that it should have happened."

The first play that came to her mind when she read the assignment was Romeo and Juliet. Two people in love with each other no matter what anyone said. They loved each other so much that they defied their families just so that they could be together. It was romantic. It was touching. It was depressing. Such a sad ending for two people who loved each other so much.

Kagome peeked to her left at her unusually quiet silver haired companion before lowering her eyes back to the ground. _Such a familiar ending. Two people loved each other no matter what anyone thought. She loved a hanyou and he loved a priestess. One tragic miscommunication and lives were lost._ Kagome's heart felt like lead. She wondered what in the world had possessed her to do this play. Was she masochistic? Did she enjoy pain?

"Everyone deserves a happy ending," she whispered.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Inuyasha held his tongue as the group kept walking. It was a difficult feat. _Who does Kagome think she's kidding? _She was thinking about him and Kikyo. He felt guilty, but wasn't sure what he was feeling guilty about. It wasn't as if he had seen the miko lately, or even spoken her name. In fact, he had been extra careful not to mention her. Yet there it was. Guilt.

Tucking his hands into the arms of his fire rat robe he thought about the girl who was walking beside him. Little yellow pieces of paper were marking certain pages that she would read and then read again. It was magic paper that would stick to other paper, but you could take it off without ripping anything, and you could stick on something else too. But she was so focused on reading and using those little notes that the little idiot never watched where she was going. If he didn't use his own body like some stupid sheep dog to guide her, she would have fallen into a river, off a cliff, down a ravine…

The idiot monk even asked her to read the play to them. And the idiot girl did! All of them were IDIOTS!

She read about how the Capulet and Montague family hated each other. She read how a man named Paris was trying to get Juliet's father to let them get married. Inuyasha wasn't surprised at how young the girl was when the proposal was made, but Kagome had sounded scandalized when she read that the girl was only fourteen years old.

Then she read how they saw each other at some party and fell in love and married in secret. Sango and Kagome sighed at that point. Miroku got hit over the head when he ruined the romantic moment by placing his hand someone inappropriate on the slayer.

The sword fighting was interesting though. Much better than that mushy stuff.

Inuyasha glared at the road when Kagome came to the part where Juliet was being forced to marry Paris. _Can parents in her time force their daughters to marry someone? Can they keep them from marrying someone? _Though the well was many miles away, Inuyasha glanced in its direction. Her mom liked him. She did. She trusted him to take care of her daughter after all, even five hundred years away. _Unless_, he worried, _she just sees me as a demon protector, and not as a man…_

Finally Kagome reaches the part where the friar gives Juliet the potion to make her look like she was dead so that she didn't REALLY kill herself. The edges of the pages were worn. Obviously she read that particular section many times. But how many times were because of the assignment?

Now he started paying a little more attention. To Kagome that is. Her features pinched slightly and occasionally her voice would waver.

Personally, Inuyasha thought Romeo was an idiot. What did it matter what anyone else thought? He should have just stolen Juliet in the middle of the night. They could have survived alone. They were together, after all. What else mattered? He would never have just said good-bye to Kagome and let her marry some guy. If he had to tear down the entire house, the entire city, he would do it. What was the big deal about banishment? It wasn't so bad, especially if you are with the woman you love.

And Juliet… how could she agree to marry someone else when she loved Romeo? Inuyasha looked over at Kagome, who was trying not to tear up over the final scene. She wouldn't marry someone she didn't love even if her family told her to. _Would she?_ Her grandfather was always trying to purify him. Would his opinion count so much that it would keep Kagome from being with him? On a permanent basis, not just hunting shards. If they did oppose them, what would Kagome do? Would she defy her family just to be with him?

"You are going to make it have a happy ending…" sniffled Shippo when she closed the book, "Right?"

Kagome smiled. "Of course I am."

"They'll live?"

"Yes, they will live."

Shippo cocked his head to one side, studying her from his perch on her shoulder. "Then why do you sound so sad?"

Inuyasha knew why, and it wasn't that idiotic reason she gave them about not looking forward to all the writing. He knew she was going to re-write him living happily ever after with Kikyo. It was in her eyes. Whenever she thought about her she would get that same pained look that reached all the way to her soul. The most confusing thing of all was that she would do such a thing. Why? What, is she a masochist?

By the time Kagome ended the story, it was about time to make camp. The lack of demon activity made for a very long and boring day. And unfortunately it gave the wench too much time to think about things she shouldn't bother thinking about.

Probably the most irritating thing of the evening was all the little glances she would steal at him. Usually it didn't bother him. Usually it kind of made him feel good inside. This time there was such an ache in her eyes when she would glance his way that he felt actual physical pain. He really really hated this school thing of hers. This creative writing was almost as bad as all those math nightmares she suffers through. He knew she was thinking about him and his relationship with Kikyo. His past relationship. Somehow she hadn't gotten it through her thick head that the relationship had changed. _How can someone who is so smart be so stupid?_

"You have been writing all evening," said Sango as she fixed herself a place to sleep for the night. "Are you finished?"

"I think so."

"Will you read it to us?" asked Shippo.

"Well…."

"I would really like to hear a happy ending." How could anyone say no to such a pleading look? Such a conniving emotionally manipulating look? Inuyasha was both disgusted and slightly impressed.

"I would also enjoy hearing a happier ending."

"Me too."

It was probably Sango's quiet "me too" that got Kagome to read her story. The wench almost had a soft a spot for the slayer as for the kit. Then again, he suspected that Kagome's heart was made up of all soft spots.

"Okay, here we go…"

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Cast:

Romeo: A demon from the Montague clan

Juliet: A priestess from the Capulet village

Paris: A suitor of Juliet

Friar: A monk from the village

Romeo and Juliet had fallen in love, despite the fact that one was a demon and the other was a priestess. The humans and demons were both outraged. Although marriage between the two was forbidden, they married in secret. Juliet's family agreed to let Paris, one of her human suitors, marry her. Distressed that she would be married to a man she didn't love, she turned to the monk for guidance. He gave her a potion that would make her look like she had died. She would be free of her family then. Free from the obligations of the Capulet village. She would be able to be her own woman for the first time in her life, and be with the man she loves. He promised to send word to Romeo that she was really alive and to ignore any news that said otherwise. So Juliet took the potion, but the messenger never found Romeo, so he thought she was really dead.

Paris

Ah my love, my one and only

Now in this graveyard you reside.

You leave me here sad and lonely

You were to be my bride

Oh these bitter tears I weep

But in my heart, you I'll keep.

(kneels to pray)

(Romeo enters)

Romeo

Give me my sword!

I must see her.

My love.

My wife.

Give me my sword so I may look upon her face one more time.

She holds a jewel, a precious jewel

That I must use.

If you dare try to stop me

I will tear this village apart.

No human will be safe from my wrath

No building will remain unscathed.

Give me my sword!

(sword tossed from aside)

You will not take her from me.

I will fight even you, Death,

For the return of my love.

(Paris stands)

Paris

You dare to enter this holy ground?

Contemptible demon stand aside

By my oath I am bound

You will not desecrate my bride

Think you are brawn and might?

Draw your sword, prepare to fight.

(both men draw swords)

Romeo

Prepare to die, rhyming human!

(a sword fight ensues)

Paris

You can not touch her

With those demon claws

She is too good and pure

For one with so many flaws

Leave her now, just forget

You shall never have fair Juliet.

Romeo

Aaarrrg

(Romeo runs Paris through with a sword. He leaves the body and walks over to where Juliet lays, dead.)

Fair Juliet.

My love, my wife.

I beg forgiveness, for I could not save you from Death.

Though even Death cannot take from you your beauty.

Death cannot take from you my love.

My heart.

(pulls out a vial of green liquid)

Poison, from a truest friend

Who knows that without you I can not live.

(puts vial to his lips)

With Death's kiss

I will follow you to the next world.

I will follow my heart.

(Juliet stirs)

Juliet

My husband, my love.

Romeo

Juliet!

(Romeo lifts Juliet up, she pulls the vial from his fingers)

Juliet

I live, my husband.

Not even Death can take me from you.

Romeo

Your rise from the dead?

You live again!

Juliet

Nay, husband.

Not yet dead.

Simply a potion to make it seem so.

I waited for you.

(a monk enters)

Friar

Robes with Paris you must change

You, not he, must lose the fight

No one must think that it strange

You, Romeo, must die tonight.

You will run, you will flee

You can leave the rest to me

(Romeo trades robes with Paris)

Romeo

How do we know that we can trust you?

Friar

I love Juliet as her own sire

It is her happiness that I desire.

(Romeo grabs Juliet's hand and they race across the stage)

Now that they both are 'dead'

They may live without dread.

The End

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Inuyasha ignored the comments of his fellow travelers as Kagome finished reading her poem. He wanted to take Kagome aside and say something to her, but wasn't sure what. In the end, he said nothing at all.

One by one the others fell asleep. He waited until Kagome was tucked away and dreaming before he hopped down and pulled out her notebook. It bothered him more than he cared to admit that she tried to rewrite his ending. She didn't even write herself in the story at all. Did she think that if he had Kikyo that he wouldn't need her in his story? It was an infuriating thought.

Reaching down, he intended to shake Kagome and wake her up. He still didn't know what he should say, but something needed to be said. As he reached down, he noticed paper sticking out of Shippo's drawing pad. Curious, he pulled it out of the kit's grasp and sat down beside them.

Inside there were several drawings of the story.

The first drawing was a drawing of Kouga, holding flowers and looking sad. He was human looking with no tail, but it was still the mangy wolf. Inuyasha quickly tossed this one aside with a "Feh".

The next drawing made him smirk. It was a drawing of him fighting with Kouga. So was the following drawing, but it had him running his sword through the wolf's middle. He wondered if Kagome could buy one of those protective clear thingies to put this one in. What was it called… a frame? Or maybe make copies of it so he could give one to the wolf demon. Maybe the whole wolf demon tribe!

The next drawing stunned Inuyasha. It was a picture of him holding the priestess. Holding Kagome.

The other pictures dropped to the ground as he stared at the drawing. It wasn't Kikyo that he thought that he loved so much that he would risk everything for. It wasn't Kikyo that the kit thought that Inuyasha was willing to die for, it was Kagome. He quickly looked at the last three drawings, each one was a picture of him and Kagome.

It was Kagome that the happily ever after was for.

Inuyasha smiled. The kit was surprisingly bright sometimes. He wondered if the others were as smart. He looked at the drawings for a little while longer. Gathering up the drawings, Inuyasha stuffed them in Kagome's notebook with her story.

Just in case she wasn't so bright and needed to be reminded.

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Author's Note:

Thanks to Luvergirl1632 for the suggestion of using Romeo and Juliet.


	6. Dreams

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story (and the dream) belongs to me.

Dreams

Assignment #6: 

Describe a recent dream in as vivid detail as possible. No minimum or maximum word count, but be as thorough as you can. Include your interpretation of the dream. Try to see how it fits in with the events currently in your life.

"What is your assignment this time?"

Kagome looked up from her assignment and grinned at the demon slayer. "Dreams."

"Dreams?" Miroku perked up, lengthening his stride so that he was walking next to Kagome. "Just what kind of dreams?" he asked smoothly.

Sango whacked him in the back of the head while Shippo shook his head and muttered about perverted idiots. "Sorry," she said unrepentantly. It was said rather cheerfully actually. "Mosquito."

Kagome hid a smile behind her hand, but she couldn't hide the laughter in her eyes. _This_, thought Inuyasha, _is why I keep the monk and the slayer around._ Sure it was great that they were good fighters and helped protect Kagome and Shippo, but times like this, seeing her happy and hearing her laugh, was worth any amount of aggravation they caused. And it was a considerable amount of aggravation, some days more than others.

Walking slightly ahead of the group, Inuyasha scouted the area for danger. However, he kept his ears trained on the conversation behind him. He would be happy when all of these assignments of hers were over. All this writing was making her think too much about stuff. Heck, it was making HIM think too much about stuff. He just hoped it wasn't another one of those depressing assignments. He wasn't sure if he could handle any more of her tears. Mentally he counted down the days until Kagome would be finished with school forever. All she had to do was finish high school. Although she had mentioned that there was still schooling afterwards that she could do, something called 'college', she hadn't said that she HAD to do that. He counted the days again and sighed. He still had quite a few more weeks to wait. When she was closer to finishing high school he would try to talk her out of college. Maybe then they could talk about… well… other things. Permanent ones.

"So, you have to write down a dream that you've had?" Inuyasha's ear twitched as Miroku spoke, trying to figure out just how close the monk was to Kagome without having to actually look back at them.

"Yes. Then I have to write about what I think it means." Eh, they were far enough apart. The monk could live.

"Do you have a dream in mind?" asked Sango.

Kagome paused before answering, which, in Inuyasha's opinion, was never a good sign. It was difficult not to turn around and look at her. "Yes, I do."

"Have you written it down yet?" asked Shippo.

"No, not yet. I'll start working on it when we stop for lunch."

"Will you read it to us then?"

"Um…"

"Will you, Kagome? Please? Pretty please?"

"Stop pestering her, runt!" Inuyasha hadn't meant to join in on the conversation, but Kagome was getting nervous, which was making him edgy. _Why would she be nervous because of some stupid dream? _That question made HIM nervous as they continued on their journey.

All too soon they reached a spot where they would sit and eat lunch. Inuyasha would have pushed them to keep walking on so he wouldn't have to deal with hearing about the dream that was making Kagome so nervous, but the others were starting to look like they were going to mutiny on him if he said 'no' to one more spot. It bothered him a bit, however, that Kagome seemed as reluctant to stop as he did. _Could the dream really be that bad?_

Once they settled down for a break, Kagome passed out box lunches that she made for them that morning. As they ate they talked about where they think they should camp for the night, where Naraku might be hiding, how far it was to the next village, what they thought the furry thing draped over Sesshomaru's shoulder might be, and of course the others praised Kagome's meal. Even though it wasn't ramen. Eventually Sango decided to give the miko time to work on her assignment by taking Miroku, Kirara and Shippo out for a walk.

"All we do all day is walk," grumbled Shippo, "Why would I want to go for another one?"

"We're going to give Kagome some quiet to work on her studies," explained Miroku patiently, as the kit jumped onto his shoulder.

"Then why doesn't Inuyasha have to leave too?"

Miroku's eyes got a dangerous (for his health) glint in his eye as he opened his mouth to answer the question. Luckily (again, for his health) Sango cut the monk off and answered for him.

"He has to stay behind to protect Kagome."

Inuyasha sighed in relief at the answer, glad that they were finally out of sight. He didn't know why the kit was complaining about going for a walk. After all, most of the time he was carried!

As Kagome pulled out her notebook, the dog demon jumped up into the tree. He leaned back and put his hands behind his head, looking like he was about to take a nap. With a deceptively lazy air, Inuyasha lowered the lids of his eyes. That way he could watch his miko without her knowing.

Her pen flew across the paper. For someone who seemed unenthusiastic about writing, she sure was whipping the stuff out.

Abandoning his tree branch, Inuyasha dropped down and went to go stand behind her. He tried to peek at what she was writing, but she kept blocking his view with her shoulder. After a few moments he focused on the girl's face instead of the paper. She wasn't even glancing in his direction! All of her concentration was on the paper in front of her. Inuyasha had to fight the impulse to rip the paper away from her. He would NOT be jealous of a piece of paper. Absolutely NOT. But still… it was tempting to start a little ripping…

For a moment the whirlwind of writing ended. Kagome stared at the paper, gnawing on her lip thoughtfully. Then she began to write again, this time a little slower. And when she glanced at him, he wasn't entirely sure how to read what he saw in her eyes. But he felt a curious feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Then, mercifully, the writing stopped and Kagome focused her attention on him again. He was a little too relieved to see her smile.

"Ah," she sighed in bliss, "Finished at last." She closed her notebook and stretched her fingers as wide as they would go to get rid of the cramps in the joints. The she interlaced her fingers, put her arms over her head, and reached for the sky. With her back stretched out like that she looked like the cat that Shippo sometimes drew her as.

"Good."

"Well, with the first part," she smiled at him. "I have the dream written down, now I just need to analyze it."

Inuyasha cursed. He was hoping that the stupid thing would be finished. He would have said so too if the others hadn't come back into camp. Jumping back into the tree he chastised himself for letting Kagome distract him so that he didn't even sense them coming back. Good thing they weren't demons. Okay, Shippo and Kirara were demons, but that was beside the point.

"Are you finished?" asked Shippo excitedly.

"Yeah, at least with the dream part."

"Will you read it to us?"

"Well…"

"Please?" Inuyasha wondered if he would get his way more often if he had those gigantic green eyes that got all big and watery and baby-ish on command. Puppy eyes. And that pleading voice with just a hint of hope in it. Yeah, the kit was good. Kagome folded in record time.

Nervously she looked around before reluctantly opening her notebook back up. Inuyasha was a bit concerned how she threw him one unreadable last glance before reading.

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I'm alone.

Alone and climbing up a steep cliff. When I look down I can't even see the ground, so I know that I have to keep climbing straight up. It's difficult to find footholds and handholds, but I'm able to slowly make my way up. A rock slides from underneath my foot and I almost fall, but luckily I was able to hang on. I know I should have more fear, but all I can think about is reaching the top.

I'm determined.

Inch by inch I crawl my way up the cliff. It feels like my heart is about to burst and my strength feels like it is about to give up. My fingers are raw and bleeding and I can no longer feel my toes. But at long last I reach the top of the cliff. My climb, my struggle, is almost over.

It takes more strength than I posses to pull myself up. I try very hard to not think about falling. But my heart is pounding so hard I worry that it will burst right out of my chest. With one last try I manage to pull myself all the way up to safety. My whole body is trembling. I'm tired. Exhausted. And totally elated! I made it!

I laugh loudly and stand up on shaky legs. Somehow I get them to work and slowly I walk to the edge until I can see over.

It is beautiful. But terrifying. The only thing I can see are sharp rocks reaching out towards me, with no ground in sight. Now that I'm at the top of the cliff, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do.

"Jump."

My heart is in my throat as I spin around. There, pulling himself up from where I was climbing up only moments before, is my best friend.

I whisper his name.

"Jump," he tells me again, this time more firmly. He walks towards me until he is standing only a few inches away.

"I can't… I'll die…" I'm confused.

"Trust me, Kagome. Jump and you will fly. Just trust me."

Of course I trust him. I've always trusted him. He is my best friend. I clenched my fists. If he told me to jump, then I'm supposed to jump. Right? He protects me, he would never do anything to hurt me. So I turn from the edge and walked a few feet away. Then I turn around and run, preparing myself for a spectacular jump. But my body doesn't obey my mind, and I skid to a stop.

I look at him in fear, ashamed that I couldn't make myself jump. He speaks again, but this time his voice is gentle.

"Jump."

I try again, and again I fail. I'm scared. The laws of physics insist that if I jump I'll be falling to my death. Those jagged rocks would tear me to teeny tiny pieces before I ever hit the ground.

But I trust him. I need to jump. So I back up and try again.

I hate myself for stopping just at the brink of the edge. I turn to apologize when I hear him roar.

"JUMP!"

He had transformed. His amber eyes flashed to red, fangs and claws grew long. Before I can utter a single word I feel his hands on me.

And he pushes me.

Then I wake up.

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The need to purge the contents of his stomach was so strong that Inuyasha wondered if he would even make it out of sight of camp before he lost it. So he forced himself to be quiet and still, fighting the feeling. Never in his life had his stomach felt so sick. His stomach, his heart, his lungs, everything felt as if it was in a vice. He was being crushed. And he felt so cold. It felt like his blood had been turned to ice. It was as if all the warmth in the world had been sucked away.

He was horrified.

_I scare Kagome._ He looked away. _ After all this time… after all we have been through together_. His ears drooped and he kept his eyes trained towards the trees, unable to bear looking at the group. Looking at her.

It never occurred to him that she would be frightened of him. Even when he had turned into a full demon she never seemed afraid. She had wrapped her arms around him when everyone else was terrified that he would maul her, or worse, kill her. She kissed him even when all of his humanity had been stolen from him, leaving only his demon heart. She still kissed him. _Was she afraid even then?_ He remembered how his claws had dug into her arms, causing her to bleed. Shame filled him. _Is that why she's afraid?_ He hurt. Everything hurt. His world was crumbling. He felt lost and alone.

_How long,_ he wondered miserably_, has she been afraid of me? Did she have to force herself to touch me?_ He couldn't stand the thought of that. Wrapping his arms around his middle he tried to protect himself from the pain.

"An interesting dream," comments Miroku.

"I know what it means," piped up Shippo cheerfully. "It means that deep down, Kagome is scared of Inuyasha cuz he turns into a psycho demon killer."

Psycho demon killer. _Is that what I am?_ Inuyasha looked at his claws, remembering how blood stained them. Remembering seeing Kagome's blood on them. _Is that what she sees when she looks at me, a killer?_ It made sense, considering often that is what he saw when he looked at his reflection.

"That wasn't very nice. Take it back, Shippo." Kagome's voice was soft, but steely. "And apologize to Inuyasha."

"Keh," he said, hoping his voice didn't tremble, "Like I care."

"Now, Shippo."

The kit apologized. But Inuyasha wasn't lying when he said that he didn't care. It wasn't the kit's opinion that mattered. It wasn't the kit who obviously had nightmares about him shoving her off a cliff. It wasn't the kit who caused this gaping hole in his chest where his heart should be. Inuyasha didn't think that anything could hurt this bad. Yet… yet she still made the kit apologize. Surely that meant something. Right?

For the first time, Inuyasha thought about using the jewel to make himself human for Kagome. Then she would never have to worry about him turning into a psycho demon killer again. Would she love him then? Or would the memories of what he had done haunt her?

"And I don't think that is what the dream meant at all."

The fox kit sounded astonished, "It doesn't?"

"Dreams are sometimes very symbolic. They don't always mean things literally. When I woke up I wasn't scared. My heart was racing, sure, but I wasn't scared. I think the dream meant something else." Kagome's voice was warm and calm.

"Like what?" asked Sango.

"In the dream I'm climbing up a cliff. It was hard. I think I'm climbing alone. But when I get to the top, Inuyasha shows up. Obviously he must have been right behind me the whole time, that's why I wasn't afraid of falling."

Fuzzy silver ears perked up.

"But, he told you to jump."

"Yes, he did, Shippo. But he also said to trust him, that I would fly. The dream could have been about me having a decision to make. A big decision. A forever life changing decision. I could stay where I was, somewhat safe, but isolated. Or I could take a chance, trust in him, and fly."

"Fly?"

Kagome blushed. Inuyasha could tell since now his eyes were focused on her intently. One sick feeling went away, and a different one took over. But this one wasn't such a bad sick feeling. His stomach and his heart just felt… funny.

"It doesn't mean that I would literally fly, Shippo. Maybe it meant freedom, or happiness, or adventure. Maybe it means if I jump that I am taking a chance at something important and exciting in life instead of letting it slip past me. Like I should take a chance on something that I want but may frighten me a little bit since it's not what I know."

"That doesn't make sense," said Shippo as he scratched his head.

"Yes it does," smiled Miroku.

"If it was a good thing to jump, then why did Inuyasha turn into a demon and push her off the cliff?"

The dog demon's ears drooped again. _Good question._

"He was angry," explained Kagome. "Maybe he was angry that he thought that I didn't have enough trust in him to take that chance and jump. Maybe he thought that I didn't want to take that chance at all. Maybe the demon in him showed up because he wanted me to take that chance too."

"But he pushed you!"

"Maybe sometimes you need a push to take such a big risk," Sango said quietly. Then she looked pointedly up at where Inuyasha was feigning disinterest. "Maybe we all need a push to reach for our dreams."

"So, you weren't scared of Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha's heart tumbled about in his chest as Kagome laughed at the question as if it was the silliest question she had ever heard in her entire life. His stomach did a bit of tumbling as well as he realized that Kagome was dreaming about making a big life changing decision. And it involved HIM! Does him pushing her in her dream mean that deep down she really WANTED to take that chance but needed a little encouragement from him? Did she end up taking that chance and going off the cliff or did she cling to the edge of the it? Why in the world did she have to wake up right before the most crucial part?

"Let's get going," said Inuyasha gruffly. "We're wasting time."

The group cleaned up their lunch mess and Kagome put her belongings back into her pack. Miroku, Sango and Kirara took their turn scouting ahead, leaving Kagome, Shippo and Inuyasha to follow. Inuyasha let Kagome walk slightly ahead of him as they started down the path. He smiled to himself. Then he lightly put his hand on Kagome's back.

And pushed.

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Author's Note: Thanks you for your reviews everyone! And thanks for all the great ideas. If I haven't used your idea (and I will give you credit if I did) it doesn't mean that I won't use it. It just means that I haven't used it yet.


	7. Villanelle

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Villanelle

Assignment # 7: 

Write a villanelle poem. It must be nineteen lines long with the following rhyming scheme: aba aba aba aba aba abaa. Keep in mind that the first and third lines are repeated in an alternating order throughout your poem. The two lines will also be together for the last two lines. Choose any topic you would like.

Inuyasha felt his own forehead before placing his palm back on Kagome's. His ears drooped as he took her tempterature. She was burning up. He knew that he should have made them camp for the night outside instead of going into that village. He had hoped to find a spot near water so Kagome could bathe. But every place that seemed suitable had a horde of demons lurking by. Or was too close to the disgusting stench of wolves. When Miroku suggested the village it seemed like the perfect solution, except for the fact that some villager sneezed their diseases all over Kagome and made her sick.

So… really it wasn't his fault she was sick. It was Miroku's.

Later he would come up with a fitting punishment for the monk, but at the moment, Inuyasha had more important things to take care of. Kagome. Sighing heavily he wrapped his fire rat robe around the miko's shoulders. _I should have just let her go home when she asked yesterday._

"I think Kagome is sick," said Shippo as he peered into her fever flushed face.

"Oh, and what was your first clue, idiot?"

"I'm not an idiot, idiot!"

"Stoooopid."

"I'm not the idiot who let Kagome get sick!"

Inuyasha raised his fist to give the fox kit a few lumps when he heard Kagome's voice. It may have been soft and weak, but there was no doubt of the threat in the tone.

"Inuyasha…" He braced himself for the 'sit' that was sure to come. "Be nice," she said.

Then she snuggled into the warmth of his side. All thoughts of thumping the kit on the head vanished. Heck, all thoughts of anything vanished. Slowly he moved his right arm, drawing her closer in. He was aware of four sets of eyes following his every move, and hoped his cheeks weren't as red as he thought they probably were. Scratching his head with his left hand, he tried to appear disinterested.

"Kagome should get some sleep." Sango said as she stroked Kilala's head. "There's a village nearby…"

"No villages," said Inuyasha through a clenched jaw. "Stupid humans spread their stupid diseases all over the place. Kagome isn't setting one foot in one of those disease ridden holes again."

"Now Inuyasha…"

"Never again, Miroku!"

The monk actually laughed, making Inuyasha growl in frustration. "You can't mean that, Inuyasha. Do you expect Lady Kagome to sleep on the ground or in a tree for the rest of her life?"

Inuyasha snarled as his answer before picking up Kagome and walking to the other side of camp. He set her down and began rummaging through her pack. He pulled out her sleeping bag and spread it out for her, making sure to find something for a pillow. Next he found her first aid kit and pulled out the little package that held aspirins. He shook out two pills into his palm. Then he looked at Kagome, wondering if maybe he should give her a little more. There were times when she would give Sango or Miroku three, but Shippo only ever got one pill. Too much could be dangerous, but she did look like she felt miserable. In the end he gave her two whole ones and half of another.

Once she had taken her medicine, Inuyasha sat near her legs and waited for her to fall asleep. The tree branch was just too far away. Well… any farther than arms length was too far away actually.

"Don't you have something you need to do?" he snapped at the others, who were watching with way too much interest.

Sango and Kilala decided that it was a good time to train. Miroku realized suddenly that it was time for meditation. And Shippo just noticed that they were out of firewood and needed some more. With the others out of sight, the dog demon was able to breathe a little easier. He placed his hand on her leg and patted gently, something his mother used to do for him when he was sick as a child.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Sleep for awhile, Kagome."

Moaning, she changed positions, trying to get comfortable. "I can't. I have to do my assignment. I have to write my villanelle. I have to turn it in tomorrow morning."

"So it will be late."

"She doesn't accept late work." She sounded a little too close to tears for the hanyou's comfort. "I don't want to fail."

Tenderly, Inuyasha brushed her hair from her flushed face. "You won't fail. Go to sleep. I won't let you fail."

Perhaps it was the fever, or perhaps it was the sheer determination in Inuyasha's voice, but Kagome was sound asleep by the time that the others came back to camp. Everyone remained silent, the threat of death to anyone who disturbed the miko was apparent. Miroku was a little surprised, and a little nervous, when the dog demon motioned for him to follow him into the woods. With a hard glare, Inuyasha made it clear that the others were to watch over the sick girl.

Miroku followed Inuyasha, but they did not go far. Just far enough to be out of human hearing range of camp, which didn't help the monk's nerves.

"What's a villanelle?"

"What?"

"A villanelle. Kagome said she has to write one for her assignment tomorrow."

Miroku smiled in relief. "Ah, yes. I recall Kagome telling us about the assignment earlier. It is a poem that has a very specific writing pattern where lines repeat themselves throughout. Why do you wish to know?"

"I'm going to write it for her."

The monk's smile turned into an expression of shock. "You… are going to write a poem… for Lady Kagome?"

Inuyasha hit him over the top of the head. "For her assignment, idiot. It's not like I'm writing her a love poem or anything like that." He clenched his fists, realizing that whacking Miroku over the head right before he asked him for a favor probably wasn't the best way to go. Oh well, too late. So he took a deep breath and spoke again, this time a little more calmly. "I want you to help."

"Help? You want me to write it?"

Valiantly, Inuyasha fought back his desire to smack the monk, though he couldn't stop the tick above his eyebrow from twitching. He knew that his irritation was unreasonable. After all, it having Miroku write the poem instead of him was a logical assumption. But Inuyasha didn't want the monk doing this for her. It was HIS job.

"You just write what I tell you to write." Miroku ceased asking questions and nodded. For that, Inuyasha was grateful. He wasn't sure how long he was going to be able to keep his temper in check. Kagome being sick made him nervous and on edge. "It will be easy," he said with more confidence than he felt. "I'll just write about Naraku."

Miroku coughed, trying to dislodge the words he was choking on. "You want to write a poem for Kagome… about Naraku?"

"Well, yeah. It's a villanelle isn't it? No one is more of a villain than Naraku."

"A villanelle is a style, Inuyasha. It isn't meant to be about a villain."

The dog demon pushed some notebook paper he had found in Kagome's sack at Miroku. "You just write what I tell you too."

With a shrug, Miroku took the paper and sat down on an exposed tree root. He listened as Inuyasha began voicing the rhyme. There were only a few times when Miroku had to remind the dog demon about the writing pattern.

"I don't believe that Lady Kagome is allowed to use such words in her assignments," Miroku said as the pen he was using hovered over the paper. It was too bad that Inuyasha hadn't brought a pencil instead of a pen. It would have been easier, and neater, to erase instead of scratching out sections. And re-writing. And re-writing. And… well… there was a whole lot of re-writing going on.

"What are you guys doing?" asked Shippo as he came from the direction of the camp and bounced upon Miroku's shoulder.

"We are helping Kagome with her homework. Inuyasha is reciting a poem and I am writing it down."

"Inuyasha is writing a poem?"

"Yes."

"For Kagome?"

"Yes."

Shippo peered at the paper. "Inuyasha said this?"

Miroku nodded.

"Wow, I didn't even know he knew what 'eviscerate' meant."

"I can hear you, you know," groused the hanyou as he paced the clearing trying to think of more words that rhymes.

Shippo glanced at the paper again before beaming at the dog demon. "And you found something to rhyme with it! This is the best poem ever!"

Inuyasha beamed proudly, taking a look at the paper. "It is, isn't it?" He shoved the paper back at Miroku. "Write it again, and make it neat this time. I'm going to go check on Kagome."

In a flash of silver and red, Inuyasha was gone. Miroku set about re-writing the poem neatly while Shippo watched. As the monk was finishing the fourth stanza, Sango appeared, curious as to what was going on. Shippo explained about the poem. The demon slayer read over Miroku's shoulder.

"Don't you think that maybe you should make the poem less… gory? It is a bit graphic."

Miroku slammed down the pen, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. When he finally opened them up, he was almost calm.

"I shall let you explain it to our rather violent and opinionated companion."

"You know, actually it looks pretty good the way that it is." Sango smiled at Miroku and stepped away from the writing assignment.

The trio walked back to camp, with Shippo going over his favorite parts of the poem. Miroku looked tired, and Sango looked slightly disturbed. When they arrived back at camp they noticed that Kagome's sleeping bag was rolled back up (sloppily, but tightly bound) and her bag was packed back up. The girl herself was sleeping soundly in Inuyasha's arms.

"Going somewhere?" asked Miroku.

"Shut up and hand me her stuff."

Sango walked across the camp to check for a temperature. She didn't miss the way Inuyasha's arms tightened around the girl and how he turned slightly, as if fighting to not pull the girl away from the slayer's touch. She thought she did a pretty good job at hiding her smile at the way he was growling at her unconsciously. Though she frowned when her fingers touched Kagome's skin.

"She's burning up!"

This time Inuyasha DID pull her away from the slayer. "Keh, I know that!" He shifted a little to make Kagome more comfortable. "She's getting worse. I'm taking her home." He paused for a moment. "She's no use to us like this. She'll just get in the way."

"He's almost as smooth with the ladies as Miroku," whispered Shippo to Kirara, who mewed in agreement.

Grumbling loudly about stupid humans, their stupid disease sharing, and their stupidly frail bodies, Inuyasha took the homework, pack, and the sleeping bag from a grinning Miroku and took off towards the well. Kagome would be safer and more comfortable back in her own bed. Only when the light of the well swallowed them up did Inuyasha breathe a sigh of relief.

Since his hands were full, the dog demon had no choice but to kick at the door for someone to let them in. He also yelled, just in case anyone missed the door kicking. He was two seconds away from just kicking the door off its hinges when Kagome's mother opened the door with a warm and calm smile.

"Why, hello Inuyasha." She stepped away from the door, opening it wider so he could come in. "Is Kagome asleep?"

"She's sick."

"Oh dear." She felt her daughter's forehead and frowned.

Automatically Inuyasha was on the defensive. He tensed, ready for an argument. But all her mother did was smile gently at him and thank him for bringing her daughter home. She told him to take her upstairs and put her to bed and that she would get some medicine for her.

Once Inuyasha made sure that Kagome got her medicine and was back asleep, he went downstairs to find her mother. As usual, he found her in the kitchen. She had a cup of tea in front of her, and a cup of steaming ramen at the place across the table from her.

He glared at the cup. He wanted to demand that she understand that it wasn't HIS fault that Kagome got sick, that he DOES take good care of her. But there was a tiny part of him that felt guilty, that always felt guilty anytime Kagome so much as sneezed. And there was the fear. Fear that her mother would try to take Kagome away from him. Not that she could, but she could try. And then Kagome would have to make a choice. What if she didn't choose him over her family? Then he started to get angry.

Before he could tell her mother that there was no way on earth that she was going to take Kagome away from him, the older woman smiled at him.

"Thank you for taking such good care of my daughter."

He blushed.

"Keh."

Suddenly his appetite was back and he quickly devoured his ramen. A second cup appeared before him just as he slurped down the last drop of the first. After his third cup he remembered the poem.

"I wrote a poem for Kagome."

Oops. Badly phrased, he realized when the woman actually BEAMED at him. Her hands were clasped over her heart and her eyes got sparkly and dreamy. He blushed again then shoved the poem across the table at her.

"I need you to get this to her school."

"Oh?"

"For her homework."

"Ohhh." The woman actually looked like she deflated. Inuyasha almost felt bad about it. "I'll type it up and take it to her teacher in the morning."

He watched as she unwrinkled the page and began reading. He saw her cringe. She read some more and cringed some more. At one point she looked a little green.

"May I make a suggestion?"

He shrugged. "Sure."

"Perhaps it would be best if you didn't mention which body parts were being… detached from the body."

"But that's the best part!"

She cleared her throat. "Yes. It is very… descriptive… but her teachers may not feel that it is appropriate for class."

"Kagome said she could write about whatever she wanted. Something about artistic freedom." He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Yes, that is true. But…" she looked down at the paper, biting her lip. Inuyasha saw her smile suddenly and look back up at him, attempting to hide that same smile. "But they will know that it wasn't Kagome who wrote the poem if you leave it like that. She would get in terrible trouble for cheating."

The arms uncrossed, and one hand went to his sword. His eyes narrowed and glittered angrily. "Trouble? What kind of trouble? Just what would they think they are going to do to Kagome?"

The woman blinked rapidly, startled at the change in his demeanor. Suddenly she saw him as a warrior, her daughter's protector, instead of just her friend. Tears came to her eyes as she realized just how much the young man in front of her cared for her only daughter. Unfortunately, the tears in her eyes made the hanyou assume that Kagome's punishment was going to be something awful.

"Let's see them try and touch her after I finish with that school," he growled as he stormed towards the door with deadly intent.

"No!" Jumping up, she ran to catch the edge of his sleeve. "It wouldn't be THAT bad, Inuyasha. They just may fail her."

"Fail her?"

"Yes."

"I promised her she wouldn't fail."

Kagome's mother held her breath as she watched Inuyasha look from the paper on the table to the front door.

"I guess I could do a little changing."

The next hour was spent in front of the computer as Inuyasha once again dictated the changes to his poem. When he was satisfied and refused to make another change, he went back up to sit with Kagome.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Naraku your time is near.

I will laugh while I eviscerate.

Your death we'll cheer.

Naraku your time is near.

To beg for mercy you're too late.

You'll cause no more fear.

No one will shed a tear

Your life we'll not contemplate.

Your death we'll cheer.

Naraku your time is near.

My thirst for blood will not sate.

As long as you are here.

Your flesh I will sear

Not one moment will I hesitate.

Your death we'll cheer.

Revenge for all I hold dear

For the suffering you create.

Naraku your time is near.

Your death we'll cheer.

The papers crumpled in Kagome's hand as she threw open the well house door angrily and stalked towards the well. With sharp movements she jerked on the backpack and gave the well a kick before she climbed on top of it. _How could he do this to me?_ She couldn't remember a time when she had been more furious with Inuyasha. And she had been plenty furious in the past.

When her feet touched the ground five hundred years in the past, Kagome looked up and saw a pair of gold eyes and a pair of green eyes looking down at her. They were almost cute enough to melt her anger. She gripped the paper tighter in her fist. But not quite cute enough.

Too angry to worry about grace, Kagome clawed her way to the top, ignoring Inuyasha's help. She opened her mouth to blast him when she noticed something strange.

Inuyasha was looking at her with the oddest expression in his eyes. Hope? _Now what could he be hopeful about?_ Pride? _Yeah, I can imagine he'd be proud of this poem_. She listened to the paper crinkle, reminding her that she was supposed to be angry. But it was really hard to look at him practically bouncing over there and looking so blasted cute. _Why couldn't he be scowling at me? It's easy to be mad if he's scowling._

Then there was Shippo. He had that same hopeful expression, except for the fact that he actually WAS bouncing with excitement. He kept looking at her then at Inuyasha. And then she noticed that the fox also looked proud. Proud of… Inuyasha?

Okay… too weird.

"Did you read the poem?" Shippo finally asked as he bounded into her arms. "Inuyasha wrote it! But I helped!"

"Don't lie, runt. You did not."

"Did too! I told Miroku he couldn't cut out the best parts!" He moved to her shoulder and stuck out his tongue. "You liked it, right? It was really good, wasn't it? The part with the entrails was the best!"

Kagome's gaze moved over to wear the monk and the demon slayer were standing. They both looked interested in her reaction as well.

"Entrails?" She looked down at the paper in her hand. She guessed that Inuyasha must have edited it down some. _Thank heavens! Entrails?_ She couldn't help but be morbidly curious about what the original poem said. "Miroku helped too?"

"Feh, he just wrote down what I told him." There was no mistaking the pride in his voice.

"There was a LOT of writing involved," Miroku assured her and ignoring Inuyasha's glare of death.

Sango walked up to Kagome and smiled at her. "They were working on that assignment for hours. You should have seen them. I have never seen them actually work together on anything like that before." She turned to their male companions and smiled at them too. "That is all they have talked about since you've been gone."

Well drat. There went the last of her anger.

Sango suggested they go back to Kaede's for lunch before they head out to hunt for Naraku and the jewel shards. Miroku and Shippo follow. Kagome doesn't move an inch. She looked down at the paper in her hand and read it silently.

Ms. Higurashi,

Your teacher brought the poem you wrote for your creative writing assignment to our attention. We are concerned that perhaps you have some anger issues that you need to work through or are having difficulties at home or with friends. We realize that you have been having many problems with your physical health, but we feel that perhaps your mental health has been neglected.

We have written your mother and included a copy of your poem as well as instructions to see a professional. We included the names of several psychologists for you to choose from as well as our office hours. We expect to see you soon.

Dr. Kinomoto

School Counselor

The anger started to spark again, just a little bit. But before it could be fanned into a flame, she felt Inuyasha's hand on her forehead. She watched in amusement as he felt his own head then hers again. The look of concern in his eyes touched her and the smugness that her temperature was back normal (he takes full credit for that) touched her heart and she couldn't even remember what she was supposed to be angry about.

"Did they say anything about the poem?"

Oh yeah, the poem. "Yes, Inuyasha, they did."

"Did they like it?"

"Uh… they can't stop talking about it…"

He smirked. She could have sworn there was a bounce to his step as he picked up her bag and threw it over his shoulder.

"Did you read it?" He pointedly did not look at her when he asked. And curse him to heck, he actually sounded anxious!

"Yes."

"Did you like it?"

He'd know in a second if she was lying to him. He turned to look at her, and for the first time, she felt like she was the one who could smell fear. She looked at the papers in her hand, shuffling the doctor's note underneath the poem. She looked at it again. Then she looked at Inuyasha.

"I've never read a poem that I've liked so much in my life," she said with complete and absolute honesty. "Thank you."

He wrote this for her when she was sick. It was such an unselfish thing for him to do. And obviously it took many hours to do. If he spent hours here with Miroku working on it, then changed it again later… He worked so hard on it. For her. Yes, it was a slightly disturbing poem. Yes, it was going to be painful and a little humiliating going to mandatory counseling sessions for anger management. But still… He did this for her.

She smoothed out the poem then carefully folded it. After tucking it safely away in her pocket she reached for his hand and smiled at him. He smiled back.

"I told you I wouldn't let you fail," he reminded her as he led her back to the village. "I will always take care of you."

It was spoken so softly that Kagome almost missed it. He probably didn't mean for her to hear that, so she turned her head so he wouldn't see her expression. She was sure that she was all blushes and grins. Luckily she didn't break out into a mortifying case of the giggles. She couldn't, however, keep her hand from squeezing his gently. _I'll always take care of you, too, _she promised him.

It really was, she decided, the best poem she had ever read.


	8. Three Days

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Three Days

Assignment #8: Write three fictional or non-fictional journal/diary entries. You can write the entries about real events in your life or events you wished happened in your life. You can write as yourself or as a completely different person or an animal or even an inanimate object. Each entry must be at least one hundred words.

Inuyasha knew the second that the words were out of Kagome's mouth which three days that she would write about. They were the same three excruciatingly painful days that he would write about if he were so inclined.

Over the paper, Kagome looked up at him and raised one eyebrow. Yup. She was picking THOSE three days.

"What are you going to write about?" asked Shippo as he continued to color on the pad of drawing paper Kagome brought him from the future.

_What a stupid question, _grumped Inuyasha. _How many times has the kit heard the phrase "I'll be back in three days"?_ Those three days that were always filled with annoying brats asking "When is Kagome coming back, Inuyasha?" and "What did you do THIS time Inuyasha?" and "Go apologize to her, Inuyasha." Okay, the last one wasn't technically a question, but it was still annoying.

"Hmmm... what three days should I write about?" pondered Kagome aloud. "Golly, Shippo, that's a tough one."

_Golly? Since when does Kagome say 'golly'? _Inuyasha glared at her as she tilted her head to the side and tapped the eraser end of her pencil against her chin. She was the picture of innocence as she did that eyelash flutter thing that girls seem born with the knowledge of how to do. But Inuyasha wasn't fooled. She was torturing him. It was because he gobbled down the last fish instead of letting the freeloading kit have it.

"How about the first three days after you met me?" piped up Shippo hopefully.

Kagome laughed and patted the fox demon on the head. "That would take a whole lot more than a hundred words, Shippo."

"The first three days after we defeated Kaguya?" suggested Sango with a grin.

Kagome blushed, and Inuyasha suspected he was blushing too. Those were a few awkward days after they defeated her. It was the few days after Kagome had kissed him. He admitted that he probably could have handled the situation better. Practically suggesting that Kagome had forced the kiss on him... well, that hadn't put the miko in the best of moods. It had taken more than three days for her to calm down enough to talk to him again. No, he really didn't want her thinking of THOSE days.

Not that he wanted her to forget the kiss. No a chance! In fact, he hoped she had that ingrained in her memory for the rest of her life. He hoped she thought about it every time she looked at him. He hoped she thought of it every time they got within smelling distance. He hoped she thought about it every time he went to bed listening for her heartbeat. Wait... he shook his head, feeling his cheeks heat up at the twist his thoughts had taken.

_Too bad the assignment wasn't "How Would You Re-Do Three Days?"_ he grumbled silently. He'd know how to answer that one. He'd handle the whole kiss thing a lot better. He wouldn't try to deny it or blame her for it. Maybe he should have just ignored the teasing from his friends and just have taken Kagome's hand. Then she would have known without him actually saying anything.

Though maybe he would re-do the first time he had tried to kiss Kagome. The stupid girl thought that he was thinking she was Kikyo (hanyou hearing came in handy when the girls started whispering their secrets). If he had only set her straight then everything would have been different. Then there would be no weird embarrassment from their friends since they would have been kissing all the time from the very beginning and no one would think anything strange about it and wouldn't be making fun of him!

Inuyasha stole a glance at Kagome, who was giving him the strangest look, like she was reading his mind. Panicked that he might have been saying that last part out loud instead of just in his head, Inuyasha jumped up until he was seated on one of the higher branches of the tree.

No one else was looking at him strangely, only Kagome.

Maybe she was thinking of which three days that SHE would re-do. Inuyasha wondered if they would be the same three days. Then he wondered if one of those days was the day that she pulled the arrow from his chest. If she had known that she was going to be his traveling companion, would she still have pulled it?

Well probably. There was a centipede demon trying to kill her, after all.

Would she have used the rosary to bind them together? Would she have refused the quest? Would she have sealed the well? Would she have not gone into the well house in the first place so she would never have met him at all?

Inuyasha really and truly hated her homework assignments.

"Miroku and I will take care of cleaning up after dinner, Kagome. You should start on your homework. You haven't even started!"

Kagome smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Sango."

Inuyasha watched as she settled herself under his tree and opened her notebook. After turning to a clean sheet of paper she began to write. The dog demon lowered himself a few branches more. He could hear her humming to herself as she wrote "Day One" on the paper. She looked up into the branches at him and gave him a little frown. Then she started writing again.

Day One

We had another fight today. I hate it when we fight. He says something mean, then I say something mean. Then we usually end up saying stuff that we don't really mean at all. Sometimes it makes me so mad I want to kick something. Other times I'm so mad I just want to cry. 

I hate crying. And I know how much he hates it when I cry. As angry as I get at him, I hate doing anything to hurt him.

I'm not even sure what today's fight was about. It could have been my cooking, though I think that was last week. It might have been because his old girl-friend was in town and I was too jealous to see straight. Or it could have been him just calling me weak and pathetic again.

All I know is that I need a little space. A little time. I need to get away so I don't get so mad that I'll say something I'll regret. I don't want to hurt him.

Inuyasha read over her shoulder without a trace of guilt as she counted up her words. He glared at the girl as she re-counted. Kagome could be so stupid sometimes. In his mind he rewrote the journal entry.

_Day One_

_We had another fight today. I hate it when we fight. I say something mean, then she says something mean. Then I say something really mean to push her over the edge and make her leave me. But it is for the best. _

_Sometimes I push her so hard because it is too dangerous for her to stay. There are just some things that she shouldn't see, no matter how strong she thinks that she is. Doesn't she know that I'm just protecting her?_

_Sometimes I push her so hard because it takes the hurt away that she is leaving me. Three days may seem like nothing to her, but it is an eternity for me._

_Sometimes I push her so hard because I feel her getting too close to my heart, and I get afraid that she will rip it out of my chest one day._

_So it is just better if she's gone. I won't have to worry about her. I won't have to worry about myself._

_I'm glad she's gone._

Inuyasha sighed heavily as he saw Kagome begin to write again. The first day she was gone was pure torture. It was like someone had pulled part of his soul away. He could feel it the moment that the magic took her into the future. Away from him.

Always on that first day he would try to convince himself that it was for the best that she was gone. And tried to talk himself into hoping that she stayed on THAT side of the well. It was for her own good. It was less dangerous in her time. There were no demons to fight or the elements to brave. She was safe and comfortable in her own home. Far away from him.

It was for her own good.

It was always difficult to let her go, much less to MAKE her go. But it was necessary. He had to make her go before he decided that he could never let her go.

Day Two

I miss him.

I miss arguing with him. I miss going for walks with him. I miss laughing and talking with him. I miss hearing his voice and seeing his smile. I even miss how grumpy he can get for no good reason.

I miss being with him.

I wonder what he's doing right now. I wonder who he is with. I wonder if this time he isn't going to come back for me. I wonder if he thinks that he is better off without me. I wonder if he thinks of me at all now that I'm not there.

"Ha!"

Inuyasha jumped slightly as Kagome yelled in triumph.

"One hundred words exactly!"

She quickly turned her head, forcing a laugh. Inuyasha knew that she was wiping tears from her eyes before they could fall. Rubbing them and using that fake yawn wouldn't fool anyone. Well, except for maybe THOSE fools who were now poking at the fire and pretending that they weren't studying every move that he and Kagome made. But she couldn't fool him. He knew the exact moment when her tear ducts fired up.

He really _really_ hated these homework assignments.

Did they ALL have to make her cry? Do the teachers in her time ENJOY tormenting the students? Should he really even LET Kagome go back there? After all, it was his job to protect her. And protect her meant protecting her from all harm and from all things that might make her cry. And since these assignments of hers made her cry, then it was only logical that he not let her go back. Or he could just go destroy the place. He wondered if Kagome would see things his way.

He sighed again. Probably not. She had an unnatural attachment to that school place. Then again, if she never went back to places that made her cry... would she ever have come back to him?

Silver ears drooped as he read her journal entry. It sounded very much like the one he would have written.

_Day Two_

_I miss her._

_I miss arguing with her. I miss going for walks with her. I miss laughing and talking with her. I miss having her arms around my neck as I carry her. I miss hearing her voice and seeing her smile. I even miss how grumpy she can get for no good reason._

_I miss being with her._

_I wonder what she's doing right now. I wonder she is with one of those stinking puny human males. She better not be._

_I wonder if this time she isn't going to come back to me. What if I have finally driven her away for good? What if she hates me now?_

_I wonder if she thinks that she is better off without me. She's not. I mean, that place she lives in only seems like it isn't dangerous. But it is! People shoot and stab each other for no good reason. People run over other people with those metal cars just for fun. And there are males running around everywhere!_

_I wonder if she thinks of me at all now that I'm not there._

His entry was longer than her one hundred measly words. HA!

Looking down he saw that Kagome had already started on Day Three. That was quick. She wasn't even taking her usual time to pause and think things over like a lot of her other writing assignments. She was just whipping this thing out.

Just how long had she been thinking about those three days?

Day Three

I'm a nervous wreck.

What if he doesn't come back for me? What if I've finally pushed him away for good? What if he really does hate me? Or really thinks I'm worthless and would be better off without me? 

What if I never saw him again?

But even as I write this I know that he will come back. He always comes back for me, whether I'm ready or not.

I would never admit this to him in five hundred years, but I'm always ready to go back. And one day I just may never leave.

Inuyasha watched as she wrote the paragraph. What an idiot! Didn't she know that he would ALWAYS come back for her? Was she really stupid enough to think that he could ever hate her? Impossible! Why would she think she was worthless? Wait… okay, so maybe once or twice he might have said something about worthlessness… but she was too smart to take it seriously.

Who would be better off without her? So far that was about the stupidest thing she had written. Did she think that HE would be better off without her? What did he have before her? Nothing! No friends. No family. No love. No laughter. No home. No one to protect. No nothing! Before Kagome, he had no where to belong. No place to call home. And now he did. Kagome was his home. She was where he belonged. How could she not know that?

And what did she mean that one day she just may never leave? She might not leave the future or she might not leave him? Should he ask her? But if he asked her she'd know that he was reading her journal entries.

"Hmm," she said thoughtfully, "I'm three words short."

"Here I come."

Kagome looked up at him and he tried to look like he wasn't the one who said the words. He wasn't quite as good as the innocent act as she was.

"What did you say?"

"Here he is." Inuyasha hopped down from his branch and crouched beside her. He poked the notebook. "The last three words for your entry."

"Here he is?"

"Of course, stupid. Don't I always come for you?"

"Yes... you do."

"Then that should be the last thing you write."

Kagome smiled at him and put her pencil back to paper and wrote down those three words. "Funny," she commented as she wrote, "But I could have sworn that you said something else."

Inuyasha shrugged.

_Day Three_

_Here I come._

Okay, so this time his journal entry was a lot shorter than Kagome's. But it summed everything up nicely. What else was there to say?

He watched as Kagome set her notebook back into her pack and got ready for bed. He didn't miss the smug grin she sent in his direction, the one that said the she was reading his mind again.

Feh.

Let her.

Now if only he could figure out how to read her mind…

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Notes:

I know it has been awhile since I last updated this story. I swear I didn't forget about it. But I was just waiting until an idea bonked me on the head. When I first toyed with the Three Days idea it was going to be a one shot, but then I was thinking about how it would be a fun assignment for Kagome. Because it wrote itself so fast, I put the original chapter 8 on the backburner and will get it out a little later.

Thanks for the reviews everyone!


	9. Little Limericks

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story (and all the poems in it, and the essays and … well, you get the picture) belongs to me.

Little Limericks

Assignment #9: 

Write three limericks using the aabba format. Keep in mind that limericks are generally humorous and/or nonsense poems of five lines. They can be about anything you want them to be about.

Shippo sat in Kagome's lap as she finished writing the word 'dead'. He was a little disturbed at the evil chuckling she was doing as she wrote it. Inuyasha looked down at the fox kit from his perch on the tree and shrugged. He didn't understand her either.

Sango is my dearest friend

You can trust her to defend

I know she's a cutie

But touch her patootie

And boy you'll wish you were dead.

"Dead and Friend don't exactly rhyme…"

Kagome frowned at the rhyme. "You're right, Shippo." She tapped the pencil against her chin while she thought. "Hmmm…" She brightened up quickly. "Okay, I've got it!"

Quickly she erased the last line and began writing the new ending.

Sango is my dearest friend

You can trust her to defend

I know she's a cutie

But touch her patootie

And you'll meet your bitter end.

"I thought your teacher and that doctor said you weren't supposed to be writing anymore of those rhymes with death or dismemberment in them," said Inuyasha.

"Yes," said Kagome frostily as she gave the hanyou a glare over her shoulder cold enough to give him the chills, regardless of how unbearably hot it was. "They felt I should focus on happier things. Thank you sooo much, Inuyasha, for reminding me of that." She flicked her paper. "But you'll notice I exchanged the word 'dead' for 'end', so I'm not writing about death." She paused. "Well… I didn't say 'dead', so that's close enough for me."

"Was that because of the poem about Naraku that Inuyasha wrote?" asked a deceptively innocent looking Shippo. Inuyasha wished he had something nice and heavy, and maybe spiky, to throw at the kit.

Kagome growled a bit, which both amused and frightened the hanyou. He decided that the best thing to do would be to distract her.

"Didn't you write another poem?"

The growling ceased as she flipped the page back. It was full of eraser marks and scratch outs. But at the bottom of the page was the clean written version of the poem. She blew off some eraser droppings and blushed.

"I'll re-write these on fresh paper," she said. Then she cleared her throat and read from the page.

There once was a perverted man

Who lies, cheat, and runs quite the scam

Well who would have thunk

The man was a monk

More oft' gets in than out of a jam

"Lady Kagome!" gasped Miroku dramatically, "I am wounded by such accusations."

Sango snorted. "No, I think she got you pretty dead on."

"Is 'thunk' a word?" asked Shippo as he scratched his head in confusion.

"Poetic license," Kagome explained.

"Ain't that last line too long?" Inuyasha snapped his jaw shut just a little too late. He had wanted her to read the poem to make her forget that she was mad at him… now she just had a whole NEW thing to be mad about. Quickly he tried to cover his mistake. "More poetic license, eh?"

Much to everyone's surprise (and some people's/demon's disappointment) Kagome didn't erupt into flames and 'sit' the dog demon. Instead she sighed heavily and began erasing slowly.

"You're right."

"I am?"

Looking up from her paper, Kagome smirked. "Don't let it get to your head."

Shippo cocked his head to the side and crossed his arms. "I thought that you had poetic license. Doesn't that mean that you can write the poem any way you want to?"

Kagome stopped erasing and looked at the kit. "Well… you have freedom within limits." She continued on after seeing his blank expression. "Even though you can write whatever you want, even make up words, you have to follow a pattern for some kinds of poetry. This is a limerick, so I have to follow the pattern. And as long as I do, then I can be as free as I want to be."

"Sounds like they have you on a leash," grumbled Inuyasha.

"I don't like limits," added Shippo. "I want to do whatever I want to."

The miko frowned, concerned about the new wild streak the fox kit was beginning to exhibit. She had a feeling that he wasn't just talking about writing poetry. "There are reasons for limits, Shippo. In poetry, these limits are what determine what kind of poem it is. Though there is always free verse where there are no limits or boundaries. But, the boundaries give you a different kind of freedom. It forces you to be creative in how you follow the rules."

"Creative in how you follow the rules, huh?"

Kagome groaned as Inuyasha shot her a frown of his own. She made a mental note to ask her mom what to do with a kid… er, kit… who is on the brink of rebellion. When are a fox demon's rebellious years anyhow?

"Are you going to change your last line, Kagome?"

"Yes," she told Sango, mentally thanking the slayer for distracting her from a situation she wasn't sure how to deal with. She looked at Miroku studiously.

"What are you doing?" snarled Inuyasha as he not so subtly moved to block her vision.

"Waiting for inspiration."

"From MIROKU?"

"I can hear you," the monk informed the hanyou. "I'm only sitting a few feet away."

"Keh."

"It is insulting how you try to hide Kagome from me."

Sango laughed. "Anyone with half a brain would hide their women from you, monk."

With a short squeal, Kagome scribbled down the new last line and read the newly completed poem aloud to her friends.

There once was a perverted man

Who lies, cheat, and runs quite the scam

Well who would have thunk

The man was a monk

Hide all your women while you can.

Sango, Kirara, and Shippo burst out laughing. In Kirara's case is was more like bursts of short amused mews. Inuyasha just snickered and sat down next to Kagome, and just by coincidence he was strategically placed between her and the monk. Miroku pretended to be hurt, but was unable to elicit any sympathy.

Inuyasha was curious about what she wrote for the third poem. She had written one about Sango and one about Miroku. He wondered if the third one would be about him. It was more than likely since she spent more time with him than with anyone else. Would she try to write something funny or something that was more nonsense? What would she find funny about him? He scowled at his miko as he thought of the things about him that she might find funny.

Funny.

Laughable.

Did she think that his ears were funny? Being a half DOG demon is funny? She did often make references about him being a dog. Sometimes she would tell him 'good boy' and pat him on the head. And of course there was the whole 'sit' or 'sit boy' thing. He began feeling sick to his stomach. Did she think that he was laughable? Did she think that he was a joke?

Did she… not think of him as a man at all?

"What was your third poem?" asked Sango before Kagome could close her notebook.

Suddenly Inuyasha wasn't so sure he wanted to hear the third poem. The whole world could laugh at him and scorn him and he didn't care, but he couldn't bear to think of Kagome laughing at him.

"Read it!" begged Shippo.

Kagome laughed and read her last poem.

A boy with fire red locks

Is full of pranks and shocks

Wiley and cunning

Tricks that are stunning

Shippo is quite the fox

"It's perfect!" shouts the fox kit and he jumps into her arms. "I am tricky aren't I? I have lots of pranks! And I'm chock full of wiley!"

Inuyasha watched sullenly as Kagome gave Shippo at pat on the head and set him back down on the ground. She hadn't written about him at all! Why not? Why hadn't she written a poem about HIM? He couldn't bring himself to ask her. In fact, he couldn't bring himself to even talk to her without snapping at her. _WHY DIDN'T SHE WRITE A POEM ABOUT HIM?_

Sango and Miroku annoyingly talked about the poems all through dinner. Shippo kept repeating his own poem like it was a mantra. Inuyasha was so sick of the whole lot of them he could barely choke down his ramen. He managed somehow.

After dinner the girls took their towels and left for a bath, threatening anyone who dared follow with a fate worse than death. Shippo contented himself to going over his poem with Kirara, patting the fire cats head and assuring her that he would make up a poem for her as well. He told her she was very lucky that so many things rhymed with both 'fire' and 'cat'.

What was surprising was that Miroku had not even moved to follow the girls. Instead he sat across the fire from Inuyasha and smirked at him. SMIRKED!

"What do you want, monk?" griped Inuyasha.

"Feeling left out?"

"Feh." Inuyasha kicked dirt in the direction that Sango and Kagome left. "Don't be stupid. Who wants to have someone write a stupid poem about them?"

The monk laughed, and tried to hide it behind a cough.

"So you don't want to know about the poems that Kagome wrote about you?"

Gold eyes sharpened. "What are you talking about?"

Miroku grinned and shrugged as innocently as he could. "You said you were not interested. So it is not important."

"I'm NOT interested." Inuyasha paused. "What did she write?"

"I can not recall."

"Was it a limerick too?"

"I do not…"

"Did she make fun of me?"

Miroku blinked. "What?"

Inuyasha quickly turned his head to hide his cheeks, which he was sure was turning red. He didn't mean to ask that question. "The limericks… they poke fun at something, or someone. They are supposed to be funny." _What does she find funny about me?_

"They did not poke fun," Miroku said, his voice lost all traces of teasing. "None of them, not a single one of them made fun of you."

It was Inuyasha's turn to blink. "None?"

"No."

"What do you mean by 'none', monk?"

"None of them poked fun or made fun of you."

"Feh, I meant how many are there, idiot?"

Miroku leaned back and smiled, holding his staff across his lap. "A few."

"How many?"

"It is difficult to recall."

"Where are they?"

Miroku shrugged. "The girls have been gone awhile. Perhaps I should go check and see if they are well."

"You stay away from them, lecher!" yelled the hanyou. "And where are those poems? What do they say?"

When Miroku stood and headed towards the hot springs, Inuyasha jumped to his feet and grabbed the monk by the front of the robes. Miroku probably should have been frightened, but he seemed to be having a difficult time keeping from grinning.

"There are many kinds of limericks, Inuyasha."

"Yeah?"

"The ones she wrote about you did not make fun of you in the least."

"How do you know?" The dog demon wasn't planning on letting the monk loose until he told him. He gave him a little shake to remind him of the fact.

"I read her journal while she slept."

Inuyasha knew that the monk should be scolded, and that Kagome would be furious. But… well… he was just too curious about what she had written to worry about doing the 'right thing'. Maybe he'd listen to his conscious later.

Maybe.

"What… what did they say?"

Miroku glanced at Shippo, then leaned in close to whisper the poem into Inuyasha's ear. He watched merrily while the blood drained from his face, then returned full force to turn Inuyasha's entire body red.

Guess she thought of him as a man after all.

"I didn't know so many words rhymed with 'snuck'," commented Shippo. "Demon hearing," he explained to Miroku and pointed to his ears.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Note: Hope you guys enjoyed it! I'll have to leave Miroku's comment to your imagination. I love reading your reviews, thanks for them. I have the next few chapters planned, so there are going to be more shortly. I'm uncertain how many chapters there will be total, but no more than 30 (though I can't imagine quite that many at this moment) since no teacher could be so cruel as to assign more. Right?

Right?


	10. My Child

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

My Child

Assignment # 10: 

Your long awaited child will soon be born. But sadly, you get the news from your doctor that you will not live to see him or her born. Write a letter to your child with one important piece of advice. The length of the letter is not important, it can be as long or as short as you feel it needs to be in order to say everything you need to say. Just remember to focus on the content of the letter.

"I'm pregnant," Kagome announced. The group looked at her in stunned silence, they were frozen in place. She opened her mouth to continue speaking when all at once, pandemonium broke out.

"I'm so happy for you!" squealed Sango as she threw her arms around the miko.

"Wait, no, Sango…" She tried to push away from the slayer, but was immediately glomped on by an excited ball of russet fur.

"I'm going to be a brother!"

"Shippo, wait. Listen, there's been a misunderstanding…"

"I'LL KILL YOU!" snarled Inuyasha as he drew his sword.

"I swear it wasn't me!" shouted Miroku as he took refuge behind the giddy demon slayer, barely dodging the sword. "I never touched her! Tell him it was not me, Lady Kagome!"

"I'LL GUT YOU AND EAT YOUR ENTRAILS FOR BREAKFAST!"

"Ewww," Shippo gagged.

"KAGOME!" pleaded the monk as he hid behind her, figuring that she was a much more effective shield against the dog demon than Sango. "Tell him it was not me!"

"GET AWAY FROM HER NOW!"

"Inuyasha… Everyone… please listen to me…"

But no one was paying the girl much attention. After clearing her throat loudly and rolling her eyes, she consulted her homework assignment and began speaking again. This time she spoke louder ("Project," her choir director had once told her) so that she could be heard over the ruckus.

"But the doctor has said that I won't live to see the child be born."

Dead silence.

A stifled gasp.

The clank of a sword falling to the ground.

Hmmm… guess they really were paying attention to her.

"Kagome…"

"It's my next assignment, Inuyasha," she told him quickly before his eyes broke her heart, making sure that she was still between him and Miroku… you know, just in case. "You guys asked what my next assignment was and I was telling you."

"You're… not… you're not are you?"

"Not what, Inuyasha?" She said it innocently enough, (she even managed to bat her eyes a little) but she felt just a little evil for torturing him. "Dying?" He flinched. "Pregnant?" He actually looked a little sick. She took pity on him. He did look awfully miserable. "No, Inuyasha. I'm not sick and I'm not pregnant." He flinched again when she said the 'p' word.

"Just homework?"

"Yes."

He picked up his sword and sheathed it. "Whatever," he said as he jumped onto a low hanging tree branch.

"You're not going to have a baby?" Disappointed tears swam in Shippo's eyes.

Kagome picked up the distraught kit and cuddled him. She pressed a kiss to the top of his head and said, "I'm sorry, Shippo. I'm not going to have a baby just yet."

"When?"

"Er…"

"When? Soon?" His green eyes were bright and expectant.

Sango and Miroku were watching the embarrassed miko flounder with amusement. "Er… I don't know, Shippo. It depends on a lot of things…"

Shippo hopped down and crossed his arms across his chest, scowling up into the tree. "Oh, I get it."

"You do?" Kagome breathed a sigh of relief.

"It depends on when Inuyasha gets his act together. Right?"

"Gack!"

Curious, Inuyasha cracked open one eye to watch her response. She babbled incoherently for awhile (after falling backwards over a fallen log and scrambling backwards like a crab) before getting control of her mouth once more. He wasn't sure if he was hopeful, scared, amused, or insulted.

"Just lots of things. Now," she said in an effort to change the subject, "I have to write a letter to my child and give them one piece of advice." She looked around at her friends, "What advice do you think I should give?"

"It's Inuyasha," Shippo said quietly. Sango, Miroku, and Kirara nodded.

Kagome adjusted her skirt after her fall so nothing was showing. She leaned back in an effort to look casual before asking her question once more. "What advice do you guys think I should give?"

"Always do what your older brother tells you!"

Kagome laughed at the fox demon's quick answer. "Shippo…"

But the kit was serious and adamant in his response. "He has to know that when I say jump it is for a good reason. So when I tell him to jump he'll jump out of the way of a demon attack. If he doesn't do what I say, then he can end up hurt! Or dead! The kid has to know that he can trust me, that I'll always take care of him. He's gotta know that I'd never steer him in the wrong direction and that I'll always be telling him stuff so it would help him. I'll teach him everything he needs to know about being part demon."

"Or her," reminded Kagome gently.

Shippo shrugged. "Or her." He sat beside the miko and grinned up at her. "I'll make the best big brother in the world."

"I know you will," Kagome said as she ruffled the hair on top of the head.

Sango sat down on the other side of the miko and cleared her throat. At first she looked away from Kagome before she began to talk, blinking a few times and taking a couple deep breaths.

"My advice," she said quietly, "Would be to cherish your family. They are the most important thing in the world. They watch your back, fight with you, and you will always belong." She ducked her head a bit and nudged Kagome with her shoulder. "Some families are not of blood, but of choice."

Kagome nudged Sango back, giving her a smile. "That is excellent advice Sango." Then she turned to Miroku. "What would your advice be?"

He thought for a moment, flexing his cursed hand. "Enjoy your life. Every moment of it is a treasure. A gift. Do not waste it."

"Be strong."

Kagome looked up, a little surprised that Inuyasha decided to join the conversation on his own with no coaxing. It was rare that he would join these kinds of discussions without a little fang pulling or dire threats.

"Be strong? Anything else?"

"What else is there?"

Kagome snorted. "There is more to life than being strong."

Inuyasha hopped down from the branch and crouched in front of her. They were so close that their noses almost touched. Kagome's heart beat a little harder and a little faster.

Just one more inch… if he just leaned forward just a teeny bit more…

An amused chuckled from Sango woke Kagome up out of her wishful thinking. Hopefully she wasn't blushing. Since she was pretty much surrounded there was no direction she could turn that would hide her pink cheeks. With some effort she lifted her focus to Inuyasha's eyes. She wasn't sure what he saw in her own eyes, but his cheeks turned a bit pink as well.

"Wench," Inuyasha said gruffly, leaning his body back to put some distance between them. "I didn't say that all there was to life was being strong, I said it was the most important piece of advice."

Kagome leaned backwards some as well. "Why?"

The dog demon glared at the forest behind Kagome. "If you aren't strong, you won't survive. What good is any of that other stuff if you're dead?"

"You are stronger with your family behind you," argued Sango.

"Life not treasured is a waste," Miroku said softly, looking melancholy for a moment before giving the girls a charming grin.

"I don't exactly see MY family making ME stronger."

"Uh huh!" laughed Shippo. "The more you fight him the stronger you get! Right?"

Kagome sighed. "I don't think that is quite what Sango meant." She patted his head again and tried not to look directly at Inuyasha. It didn't escape her attention that he hadn't responded to Miroku's comment, but decided against saying anything about it just yet. Getting her hanyou to treasure life was an ongoing battle. "She meant that standing with your family makes you stronger. Like how when we fight together we compliment each other and are able to defeat even the most dangerous enemies. We're strong because we have each other to depend on. And we're each other's family, because we chose to be a family."

"Like you're the mom, Inuyasha's the mean older brother, Sango is the nice aunt, Kirara is the cousin, and Miroku is the weird uncle that everyone tells everyone else to stay away from?"

Sango and Kagome shrieked with laughter while the monk looked offended. Inuyasha huffed and hopped back up into the tree.

"Something like that," Kagome said as she wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes.

"I thought Inuyasha said you keep him from fighting his best though. Doesn't that make him weaker because of you?" He paused. "Of us?"

Kagome inhaled sharply.

Inuyasha cringed and cursed.

"Sometimes… sometimes people have different ideas about strengths and weaknesses." She gave a little laugh, "Don't you think that if Inuyasha really thought we made him weak that he would keep us around?"

"Keh."

Clapping her hands she tried to take everyone's attention away from the seriousness of the subject.

"Okay, so we have family, enjoying life, listening to your brother, and strength. All are very important. So now I have to decide what the most important piece of advice should be for me to tell my child before I die."

It was easier said than done. Each of her friends had a very good point about what was important in life. What did she find the most important thing in life was?

Decisions, decisions.

Dinner was prepared and everyone went about their business. Sango and Miroku took a walk to the river to clean the dishes, with Kirara as a chaperone. Shippo took out his crayons and colored a picture of him as a big brother teaching a kid who looked a lot like Kagome but with furry ears on the top of its head. Inuyasha was busy pretending he wasn't watching Kagome.

The miko thought about her friends and their suggestions.

Family was important. Her mom, brother, and grandpa were a big part of her life. Even though she spends more and more time away from them, they will always be a part of her. And her new family was important too. Inuyasha, Shippo, Sango, Kirara, and Miroku were her new family. She glanced sideways at Inuyasha and smirked. Her new pack. And then there was Kouga and his pack. His pack referred to her as 'sister'. And Sesshomaru and the little girl Rin. Not to mention Kohaku. Of course, they were more like extended family.

Kagome smiled as she thought of Shippo's advice. More than any of them, the fox kit needed a sense of family. She hadn't really thought about how he would feel about being a brother though. He sure jumped on that fast. Had he been giving it a lot of thought? Should she even be encouraging his line of thinking? But how do you look at those huge green eyes when they want something to love so badly?

Enjoying life was important too. With all the battles they fought, each day might just be their last. Miroku always has a tangible reminder that life is short. Do any of them bother to take time to just enjoy life? Sango and Miroku seem to find time to enjoy things once in awhile, but not enough. Kirara and Shippo seemed to find time to play. Though most of the time poor Kirara had to play the part of baby sitter or chaperone. And Inuyasha… Kagome wasn't sure Inuyasha really ever had an opportunity to just enjoy life. But she would make sure that he did.

Strength is important, of course. Especially to Inuyasha. One of these days he'd figure out that strength wasn't just physical though. Some things were stronger than steel and muscles. Kagome blushed. Now was NOT the time to be thinking of muscles and Inuyasha. There was homework to be done, no time for daydreaming.

So what was important to her?

Her eyes drifted back to the hanyou who was napping on the tree branch above her. Or possibly just pretending to nap. Yeah, he was most important to her. But she couldn't exactly put THAT in her advice to her unborn child. She smiled and touched her belly as she thought of the child she might one day have. With luck it would have the cute little ears that her own mother was hoping for.

Kagome began to write.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

My Darling Child,

I wish that I had been able to hold you in my arms, to watch you grow. You are a part of me and I love you. Your family loves you, both those related by blood and the ones who we have chosen as family. They will protect you and help you grow strong and wise. I hope you enjoy every moment of your life, it is a great gift.

I want to leave you with one piece of advice. 

Accept yourself. 

Accept your strengths and continue to grow. Don't take them for granted. Nurture your strengths and don't be afraid of them.

Accept your weaknesses. Everyone has them. Don't be ashamed of them and don't be blind to them. That does not mean that you should give up, however. Once you know your weaknesses, then you will just have to work on turning them into strength.

Accept yourself. Know your own worth. In your life you will run across cruel and narrow minded people who will try to hurt you. You are a wonderous miracle. You are different, and you are special. And most of all, you are perfect just the way you are. Never let anyone tell you any different. Don't let anyone try to make you change. Have faith in yourself, for I have faith in you.

All my love forever, 

Your Mother

Shippo crawled into Kagome's lap after she finished reading her letter. "I like it," he said solemnly. "But I don't want you to die."

"Go to sleep, Shippo." She tucked him into the covers of her sleeping bag. "Sweet dreams."

"Aren't you coming to bed too?"

"Not just yet. I want to re-write this so that it looks neater and check for spelling mistakes."

Kagome studied her paper as the others fell asleep one by one. The fire crackled warmly and Kagome closed her eyes, savoring the moment of warmth and being with the ones who meant so much to her. Even in the wilds where a demon could attack at any moment, she felt safe and content. She didn't even try to convince herself that her silver haired companion was the source of those warm feelings.

Unsurprised when she felt the brush of a breath across her neck, Kagome's lips curled into a smile. His voice was gruff, but soft.

"You don't make me weak."

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Notes:

I could have sworn that someone suggest that Kagome write a letter to her child, but I went over the reviews and couldn't find it. It is entirely possibly that I have just gone insane though. Anyhow, I apologize if you are the person who sent in the suggestion and I didn't give you credit.

Thanks for your reviews and suggestions!


	11. A Haiku

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story and all the poems in it belong to me.

Baby Funk and The Painted Lady requested something Inuyasha could be happy about, so here it is.

A Haiku

Assignment # 11: 

Write three haiku poems. Generally these poems are written about nature, including the seasons. However, you may write about whatever you would like. A haiku contains seventeen syllables and three lines. Five syllables in the first and third line, and seven syllables in the second.

"A haiku."

"Bless you."

Kagome sighed heavily as she adjusted the straps on her backpack. "That joke wasn't funny the first time you said it, Miroku." She shook her head in exasperation at his playfulness, then turned her attention back to Sango. "The next kind of poem I have to write is a haiku."

"I have a haiku for you," grumbled the demon slayer as a vein throbbed in her forehead.

"Touch me once more monk

I'll cut off your stupid hand

And feed it to you."

Kagome counted the syllables as Sango's hand flew in Miroku's direction. "You're right, Sango. That WAS a haiku!"

WHACK!

"What's a haiku?" asked Shippo as he leaped from Miroku's shoulder as the body fell.

The miko opened her arms for the fox demon to jump into them. "A haiku is a kind of a poem. There are five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third line. My teacher says that they are usually about nature, but we're allowed to write about whatever we want."

"Can I write a haiku?" He began counting on his fingers and mumbling.

"Sure," Kagome smiled.

"You Inuyasha

Are a mean and stupid jerk

Dumb Inuyasha."

Bap bap bap.

"Inuyasha…"

"What? He was askin' for it!" It was difficult to argue with that.

"KAGOME!"

"Inuyasha…" Shippo's eyes got a mischievous glint in them that kept the 's' word from escaping Kagome's lips. So instead she took a deep breath and counted to ten. Three times. "Violence is not necessary, Inuyasha. If you are unhappy with Shippo, tell him, but don't hit."

Shippo frowned and leapt onto Miroku's shoulder again now that he was back on his feet and whispered to him. "I bet she learned that in that stupid anger management class they made her take."

"Quite likely."

"Think she's giving up 'sitting' Inuyasha?"

Miroku grinned. "I highly doubt that."

Inuyasha wished that people would quit forgetting about his enhanced hearing. Then again, it was more likely that they were just trying to get him so mad that he'd say something stupid and have Kagome 'sit' him. He clamped his jaw shut and tried to pretend they didn't exist.

"I have another haiku," called Shippo as he bounced back to Kagome. Sometimes the kit made it really difficult to pretend…

"Dumb Inuyasha

I hope Kagome sits you.

Stupid idiot."

"Shippo…" the miko warned the kit with the tone of her voice.

"Shut up, you moron," growled Inuyasha at the fox demon, "I'll pound you into the ground, and leave you to rot!"

For a moment it looked like Kagome was going to yell at them (though probably just him). But then she froze and her fingers began twitching. After a moment she squealed happily, "You just made up a haiku!"

The anger disappeared from his golden eyes, replaced by confusion. "What? No I didn't." But hey, she wasn't mad at him, so he wasn't about to complain.

"You did!" She laughed and stopped walking, taking his hand to stop him as well. He looked down at her hand on his and he was suddenly paralyzed. "Listen…" She recited the poem and ticked off the syllables on her fingertips.

"Shut up you moron

I'll pound you into the ground

And leave you to rot"

"A very poetic soul, indeed."

"Shut up, monk!" Inuyasha turned his face away to hide his pinkening cheeks. He snatched his hand away from Kagome's, who was practically dancing around, and he continued walking. Who knew something as stupid as seventeen syllables would make her so giddy?

"At least Inuyasha is trying to help Kagome by writing a poem for her."

"I didn't wri…

"Would you like me to write a poem for you, my lady Sango?"

"..te no poem for Kagome!" protested the ignored hanyou.

Sango blushed and looked away. "That isn't what I said, monk. We were making up poems for Kagome to help her with her homework."

"I didn't write no poem for…"

"Shut UP, Inuyasha!" Kagome took his hand again and pulled him to a stop a little ways from Sango and Miroku. "They are about to have a 'moment' here."

He cocked his head to one side quizzically. "A moment?"

"Shush!" She grabbed a lock of his hair and pulled his head towards hers. "And don't look! Well… don't look like you're looking!"

Inuyasha shushed. He was used to the spying game. Most of the time he faked disgust or apathy, but mostly he was curious. It wasn't like he was ever taught how to woo a girl. And Miroku was the perfect teacher. Mostly he taught what NOT to do.

They watched Miroku drop down to one knee and took Sango's hand between both of his. Inuyasha glanced at Kagome to make sure she was okay after he heard her sharp intake of breath. But didn't hear her exhale. Was she even breathing anymore? Not a muscle was moving, it was like she was frozen. He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong with her, but both of her hands wrapped around his hand and squeezed, and suddenly he couldn't remember how to speak.

"You, my beauty, shine

With such grace, strength, and honor

You leave me breathless."

Silence.

Inuyasha frowned at Kagome. She was gazing at the stupid monk with those soft sparkling eyes and sighing a long dreamy sigh. She let go of his hand to clasp hers right above her heart. For one moment he was afraid she was going to cry those confusing tears she sometimes shed when she was happy. He was afraid he was going to have to hurt Miroku if he got any of her happy tears. The monk lucked out and the mist in her eyes was quickly blinked away.

"Oh Miroku," breathed Sango with a dreamy look of her own. "That was…"

"…beautiful," sighed Kagome.

Sango's eyes suddenly narrowed and her lips turned downwards. "You sure thought that up quick."

"I, too, have a poetic soul."

She put her hands on her hips and glared menacingly. "Just how many women have you used that poem on?"

"Er…"

"How. Many?"

"Sango, my love…"

Kagome sighed again, but not a dreamy one. Inuyasha wondered at the disappointment on her face before shrugging it off. Ha! She was disappointed in the monk! Good. Maybe now in all the excitement she'll forget that she was getting irritated with him.

"Kagomeee…" called Shippo with a toothy grin. Then again, it looked like she was about to get a reminder.

The miko smiled, but rubbed her temples. It was a sure sign that her patience was starting to wear thin. This was not a good sign. Nope, not a good sign at all. Inuyasha was torn between shutting up the fox or arguing his side of the matter with Kagome. The dog demon bent his knees and prepared for impact.

"Whose poem are you going to use?" Shippo asked.

Crisis averted. Inuyasha straightened and began walking again. Kagome followed with Shippo now perched on her shoulder again. Sango walked beside Kirara after tossing Miroku's unconscious body across the fire cat's back.

"Er… I probably won't use any of the actually."

"You don't like my poem?" Shippo's eyes watered and Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Kagome spoiled him far too much. Little brat. Always got his way in everything.

"I did!" she assured him. "But to use a poem that someone else wrote would be cheating. I couldn't do that."

"You turned in Inuyasha's poem," argued the kit.

Inuyasha cringed. He really wished that they wouldn't bring that poem up anymore. Every single time they did Kagome's eye would begin twitching and her aura would flame, regardless of how politely she smiled. She sure has funny reactions to poetry. His other one gave her a nervous tic, and the haiku he accidentally wrote sent her dancing. Strange how those seventeen syllables affected her.

"Yes…" She took a long slow breath and bared her teeth, though it was likely she was just trying to smile. "But I think it is best if I make sure to write my own assignments from now on."

"What will you write about?" asked Sango.

Kagome shrugged. "Maybe the sun or the stars or something."

"Booooring," complained Shippo. "What can you write about the stupid sun? That it's hot and yellow?"

"Feh," Inuyasha continued walking without looking back. "Don't be an idiot. The sun is more than just hot and yellow."

"Inuyasha is right," agreed Kagome. "The sun keeps us warm and it gives us light, but it also makes plants grow. When it comes up you know that you have just started a brand new day filled with a million possibilities! When it goes down it paints the sky so beautifully. It's a wonderful time to reflect on your life and the future."

"You can see your enemies better," added Inuyasha with a sharp nod.

"… yeah… that too." Kagome smiled/grimaced.

"Speaking of the sun," came Miroku's ever cheerful voice, "We should make camp soon before it sets."

Inuyasha looked back to see that the monk was now sitting astride Kirara and was trying to coax Sango into riding as well. Looked like he gained consciousness. Lucky he was so resilient.

A quick sniff of the air let the dog demon know that it was safe to make camp. Kagome would be disappointed that there wasn't a hot springs nearby, though he still hadn't figured out why she kept trying to cover up her own scent with those perfumed soaps. Her own scent was so much better. Closing his eyes for a moment, he inhaled again, sifting past the other scents to get to hers.

When he opened his eyes he found Kagome staring right at him with a strange smile on her face. Did she know that he was smelling her? Panic made him open his mouth to say something mean to throw her off the trail. But then she smiled at him. It was the kind of smile that could warm you up, just like the sunshine she was so fond of. The kind that made you feel stupid. So stupid that you can't remember what it was you were going to say. Or what you were just thinking. Or what the heck your name was!

"Feh." That would have to do until he put some more distance between them and his brain was functioning again.

Things got even more confusing when her eyes widened and her lips parted. It was amazing really. They only moved a tiny fraction, yet he felt an irresistible force, stronger than anything he ever felt before. And it was drawing him towards her. Well, towards her lips at any rate.

"I've got it!" she cried happily.

Inuyasha stumbled and the force was gone. When he was back in control he backed up warily. What did she have? And what in the world almost just happen? And why did he feel so disappointed?

The disappointed still hung heavy as Kagome tore off her backpack and began tossing items out.

THE RAMEN!

Inuyasha and Shippo ran to catch each flying cup of noodles as Kagome continued to empty out her backpack. When she pulled out her notebook and pen she sat down and began writing furiously.

"Kagome!" growled Inuyasha as he shook a cup at her. "You almos…"

"Shh." Silver ears flattened against his skull. She SHUSHED HIM!

"Kagome, what ar…"

"Shh!" Inuyasha grinned. Shippo got shushed too.

"Lady Kagome, are you wo…"

Kagome snarled, looking up only long enough to silence the group with a glance that promised certain death to the next person who opened their mouth before going back to her homework.

Kagome wrote.

Then erased.

Then wrote.

The rest of the group ate their dinner and got ready for bed as Kagome continued this process. Shippo was snoring lightly by the time Kagome finished, and Miroku have a slightly swollen cheek and three new bumps on the head. Kagome stretched and yawned. But looked otherwise thrilled to be finished with the assignment.

"Here." Inuyasha shoved a cup of barely warm noodles into her hands.

"Thanks."

Out of habit she blew on the noodles before taking her first bite. This amused the dog demon. He sat beside her and watched her eat out of the corner of his eye while he pretended to look at the stars. He saw her look at him and blush, which made him blush as he thought about the reasons why she must be blushing. Then he wondered when he developed such a vivid imagination.

"When the sun comes up…" Kagome stopped speaking and cleared her throat. She peeked at him, and when she saw that he wasn't going to look directly at her, she continued speaking.

"When the sun comes up

And the stars have left the sky

You're still by my side.

Through the most fierce days

And the hardest, cruelest nights

You're still by my side

When the sun goes down

And the stars have filled the sky

You're still by my side."

Inuyasha didn't know what to say.

"My haikus."

His throat had tightened too much to respond with anything more than a grunt. Instead he leaned back on his arms, moving his right hand slightly, just enough to touch her fingers. When her hand shifted slightly, moving more fully underneath his, he braved a glance at her. She smiled at him.

"Did you give it a title?" he voice was hoarse, but he managed to get the words out.

She nodded.

"Until The End of Time."

"Forever," he whispered as he watched the stars and inhaled deeply.

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Author's Note:

Thanks for your reviews and suggestions everyone! They are very inspirational. If I haven't used a suggestion yet it doesn't mean that I'm not going to. Sometimes I have to wait for the muses to get their act together. Hope you enjoyed the poems. :O)

And special thanks to Saxifrage, Nexa, and AnimeMiko15 for suggesting the haikus.


	12. Foofaraw

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Foofaraw

Assignment #12:

Write a poem, essay, or story using the ten of the following twenty vocabulary words: amiable, apathetic, braggadocio, cloying, droll, elucidate, emphatic, foofaraw, galumph, grandiloquent, illustrious, impregnable, mercurial, obtuse, ostentatious, petulant, quixotic, resplendent, truckle, winsome. Extra credit will be given if all twenty words are used.

Make sure that you using the word correctly, so consult your dictionary or thesaurus. No minimum word count, but no more than five pages.

"Kagome!" cried Shippo, "Inuyasha took my pocky!"

"I wouldn't have to take it if you would just share, runt!"

"It's MY pocky!"

"Share!"

"Mine!"

"Get those pointy teeth off my arm! Hey, Kagome!"

The vein throbbing in Kagome's forehead should have been the sign to everyone around that her good mood was rapidly deteriorating. Miroku and Sango looked up from their conversation to watch. Kirara, however, just yawned and curled up into a tighter ball, determined to ignore them all.

"Would you two stop this foofaraw?" It wasn't really a question. It was more of a demand actually.

It worked though. Shippo and Inuyasha stopped fighting. Inuyasha was still holding the fox kit by the tail and the kit's teeth were still embedded in the hanyou's left arm. But they were both quiet and staring at the young miko with similar looks of confusion.

"Foofawhat?" Inuyasha finally asked.

Kagome's vein stopped throbbing as she calmed back down and started rummaging through her backpack looking for cups of ramen to start dinner.

"Foofaraw. It means a fuss over something of little importance." She thought for a moment before opening the first cup of ramen. "It can also mean an ornamentation or decoration that is excessive or flashy."

"Oh." Inuyasha said as he sat down next to the miko. "Kinda like the stuff my brother wears?"

Kagome smiled as she peeled back the first lid to add the steaming water, "Yeah, something like that. Shippo, please let go of Inuyasha now."

Shippo took his teeth out of the hanyou's arm and sat perched on his knee. "Foofaraw," he repeated thoughtfully. "That's kind of a funny word. I like it! Foofaraw!"

"Is that from your next assignment?" asked Sango as she handed Kagome another cup of noodles to fill with water.

"Yes." She gave a filled cup to Inuyasha and quietly reminded him to count to sixty before he lifted the lid. "I had to write a story using a whole bunch of vocabulary words." She handed another cup to Shippo. "I actually had a good time writing it and have finished it already."

Inuyasha peered at her suspiciously over the rim of his ramen cup, stopping in mid count. "You finished… early?"

"Yeah, I was a little surprised myself. But once I started writing it all just came to me. I even used all of the vocabulary words! It's great! Now I have the whole evening with no homework, plus I'll get my extra credit!" She paused for a moment. "Well, except for math and history… but those aren't due until the day after tomorrow, so at least I have tonight with nothing to do."

"You could start on your other assignments," suggested Miroku, "That way you will not feel so swamped with work tomorrow."

Kagome laughed. Then stopped when she realized he was serious.

"Oh… right. Well, I was thinking I should probably go over my story one more time. You know, to spell check and stuff. I'll get right on that history and math thing when I finish. If there's time."

"Will you read it to us?" asked Shippo.

"Sure!"

Setting down her untouched cup of noodles, Kagome stood and walked to where she dropped her pack earlier. After a brief struggle with keeping the contents of the overflowing bag actually IN the bag, Kagome pulled out her notebook and took her place by the fire. Hurriedly she gulped down some broth and noodles as she flipped through the pages to find her newest entry.

"Ah ha! Here it is." She cleared her throat and began to read:

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

The Demon Lord Sesshomaru

Sesshomaru is a powerful demon. Looking upon him feels like you are looking upon royalty. Perhaps it is his ostentatious clothing, resplendent with all of its fine decorations and elegant style. Though none would dare to call it merely foofaraw. Then again, maybe the grandiloquent way he holds himself that makes you feel as if you should feel grateful to be in his illustrious presence. He walks with style and grace, lighter than air, making all others seem to galumph along with feet of lead. There is an air about him that makes you think that he thinks that he is better than you. And it makes you wonder if maybe he is.

All around him truckle, becoming subservient with just one glance from his cold and unforgiving eyes. He will not tolerate cloying behavior, though many around him can not seem to help but be overly eager to be in his good graces. He will not tolerate anyone who is too obtuse to follow directions or is petulant being lorded over. After all, if anyone reserves the right to be irritated over anything, it is the demon lord Sesshomaru.

When he talks to you he isn't droll or amiable. There is nothing friendly in his demeanor at all. If he speaks you at all he will elucidate, making sure that his meaning is clear and concise. After all, why waste words on the unworthy? Though mostly you will find him to be very apathetic. Whether you live or die, it doesn't matter to him. You won't hear him speak a word of flummery. Likely there will be no compliments of any sort, empty or no.

Sesshomaru is no braggadocio, no braggart full of empty boasting. No, if he makes a threat you can bet that it is a promise he will fulfill. He is an impregnable force, unbeatable. The strongest forces can not even make him break a sweat. He is a force that no one can defeat.

An emotionless demon.

He is definitely not a creature of mercurial moods. He just has the one. Cold. There is no need of emphatic statements with him. If you are in his way, or if you displease him, he would simply slice you in half, without blinking an eye. He is what nightmares are made of.

Yet… yet he is devotedly followed by a quixotic child. With a winsome smile and a kind heart, she follows her lord Sesshomaru. She is full of sunshine and warmth. She is with him because she wants to be with him. He makes her happy.

Could there be something about this emotionless demon that I can not see, but she can? Is there some hidden quality in him that inspires such devotion? Some goodness? Something warm?

If I were to look, would I find it too?

Or is it because I don't look that I can't find it?

How often have I made him into a one dimensional character? A caricature really. And how often do I do this with other people I meet? Or do I do it with everyone? Does that make ME one dimensional?

Lord Sesshomaru. I thought I knew who he was, but now I am not so sure. Am I brave enough to open my eyes and see him?

Or is it safer to stay blind?

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

"Well, what do you think?" asked Kagome shyly.

"Do you think that perhaps you used too many of your words too close together?" asked Miroku.

"No." she snarled as she pulled the notebook to her chest protectively. "Any other comments?"

"No." smiled Miroku, pretending he didn't have a bead of sweat trickling its way down his cheek. "Of course not. It is a truly interesting story. I would not change a word."

"I agree," Sango said, giving her a smile identical to Miroku's.

"I dunno," said Shippo as he scratched his head. "Did that story even have a point? All you did was talk about Sesshomaru using weird words."

"It's an essay," Kagome snapped. "A character study. And I had to use the weird words, they were the vocabulary words." She sighed, then turned to the frowning dog demon. "Well, Inuyasha, what did you think of the story?"

"Feh," the dog demon growled as he snatched the paper and balled it up, "I think you're spending way too much time thinking about my brother."

"INUYASHA!"

Inuyasha grabbed hold of Kagome's arm to stop her from reaching into the fire where he just pitched her homework assignment. Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara watched with open mouths. Sure he had threatened to rip up her homework on many occasions, but they couldn't recall a time when he actually destroyed it.

At least he didn't throw in her whole notebook.

"MY PAPER!" With a promise of death in her eyes, Kagome turned on Inuyasha with clenched fists. She would have slugged him if he hadn't been holding her arm still. She tried tugging it away, but his grip was like iron. "Do you know how hard I worked on that?"

"Feh. You said it didn't take you long at all."

Sensing a long round of 'sits' in his future as the girl opened her mouth, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and leapt into the air. He didn't stop leaping until Kagome stopped screaming at him. So it was quite some time until he was able to come to a complete stop, and they were miles away from camp.

Kagome slid from his back and took several deep breaths. She was about to ask what possessed him to burn her story, but he began talking first.

"I'll help you write a better story."

"What?" Surely she heard him wrong.

"A better story. One not about Sesshomaru." He paused for a moment. "And no wolves." Another pause. "Unless they get eaten or mangled, then that would be okay."

The corner of Kagome's mouth twitched upwards, but she tried hard not to smile. That would just encourage bad behavior. "You'll help?"

"Keh."

This time she did help. "Well, if you're going to help me write a new story, then you're going to have to expand your vocabulary beyond 'keh' and 'feh' you know."

"Whatever."

He pulled out her notebook from the front of his robes and sat on the ground, Kagome sat beside him. Suddenly the prospect of re-doing her homework didn't seem so bad.

"Once upon a time…" he looked at Kagome, then glared. "Why aren't you writing, wench?"

"Oh… right…" Quickly the miko pulled the notebook towards her. She lay down on her stomach and began scribbling the words. "Once upon a time, huh?"

"Yeah… that's how the stories you tell Shippo start… So start writing."

So she wrote. "Don't forget, I have to use all those words."

"I ain't stupid." He crossed his arms and began telling a story. "Once upon a time a… a Braggadocio and his… his friend, Winsome… were minding their own business when they were attacked by a vicious Droll. The Droll was HUGE! With poisonous fangs." He looked down at her paper. "Did you get the part with the fangs?"

Kagome managed to smother her grin, ducking her head so that a curtain of hair hid her face from the hanyou. The serious look on his face as he dicated tickled her. "Yup… a Droll with poisonous fangs."

"Well, that Droll was no match for the Braggadocio. One swipe of the sword and the grass was drenched in his blood, it was… uh… it was cloying. Yeah, cloying everywhere! Winsome gets all whiney about needing a bath, so Braggadocio uses his superior senses to find her a hot spring. He doesn't watch though, he's no pervert like their other friend… uhhh. Ostentatious. Yeah, he wasn't a pervert like Ostentatious. He just had to stay close in case they were attacked."

"Oh yeah?" asked Kagome.

"Just keep writing."

So she did.

"And it was a good thing he stayed near too, even though he wasn't watching her bathe, because he was no pervert."

"Got it, not a pervert. Let's try to move past that and keep going, Inuyasha."

"Anyhow, it was a good thing he stayed near, because a no good flea bitten Truckle showed up and tried to kidnap Winsome. Again. I mean, why would Winsome trust him at all or even call him a friend when he'd kidnapped her before? KIDNAPPED HER! All Braggadocio does is try to protect her and keep her safe, but she keeps on letting the mangy Truckle put his hands all over her!"

"Inuyasha! I'm sure… Truckle… doesn't really put his hands all over her."

"He does too! All the time! I think he's trying to mark yo… her with his scent, to make everyone think y… she's his. Braggadocio protects her and cares for her, but that stinkin' Truckle keeps coming up and trying to claim her as his mate. It makes Truckle think that she wouldn't mind being his mate since she always sides with him and protects him from Braggadocio. And she's not. Right?"

Kagome shook her head and touched Inuyasha's hand. "Of course not. I'm sure Winsome didn't realize WHY it bothered Braggadocio."

Inuyasha blushed and moved his hand away, crossing his arms and looking off into the distance. "In the story. I mean, it's just a story. So how many words did we use?"

"Um… six I think. I only need four more to complete the assignment."

"What about the extra credit?" He nudged her pen. "What words are left?"

"Let's see… amiable, apathetic, elucidate, emphatic, foofaraw, galumph, grandiloquent, illustrious, impregnable, mercurial, obtuse, petulant, quixotic, and resplendent."

"Okay. Well the Truckle tried to kidnap Winsome… AGAIN… but he couldn't elucidate Braggadocio. In fact, the fight was almost boring because of how apathetic the Truckle was. So after Braggadocio kicked Truckle's sorry a…"

"Uh… remember there can't be any swear words in here. I don't want to get sent to the counselor again."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and leaned down to look in her eyes. "Just what did this _counselor_ do to you, Kagome?" His eyes flashed molten gold and his voice was low and dangerous. "Did it hurt you?"

"No no no…" Quickly she sat up and put her hand on his arm, as if to keep him from taking off after her poor defenseless counselor. "The counselor hasn't hurt me. In fact, I think they'd get in trouble if they did." Her eyes widened as Inuyasha flexed his claws. Oh yeah, they'd be in a heap load of trouble. "Let's just get back to the story."

"So Braggadocio beat Truckle in the most grandiloquent way possible. The pain was quixotic as his guts were resplendent for everyone to see. When their friends Ostentatious and… um… uh… Amiable came by to see if they could help. But Braggadocio didn't need their help with the skinny no good Truckle. We would have just had a nice peacefully celebration in defeating Truckle, but Ostentatious had to go and petulant Amiable where he wasn't supposed to. Even though he tried to sweet talk his way out of another galumph on the head by calling her illustrious, she still whacked him so hard he saw mercurial."

Kagome coughed into her hand to disguise her laugh. Luckily he continued on with his story once he made sure she was still writing it all down.

"So anyhow," he said with a slight blush, "Amiable says that she ain't being impregnable, so he can just forget it. He claims he's innocent. Winsome tells them to stop all the foofaraw, and that they had something more important to do, like take a bath to get rid of all the wolf guts."

"Truckle," Kagome snickered.

"What?"

"I think you meant 'Truckle' guts."

"Keh. That's what I said. They had to take a bath to get rid of all the Truckle guts. Amiable and Winsome rudely told Braggadocio and the pervert to take a hike so they could bathe in privacy. Even though Braggadocio isn't the one who peeks because…"

"Yeah, yeah, you already said he wasn't a pervert. I got it. Move on."

"Anyhow, the obtuse girls shoulda listened to Braggadocio when he warned them of danger, because they were attacked by a swarm of Emphatics."

Then pen shook a little as she wrote down the last word. When Inuyasha didn't continue, she looked up at him.

"And?"

"And what?"

"Does he just let the Emphatics get them?"

"They shoulda listened him, huh?"

Kagome slammed the pen down. "So just because he got mad that they didn't listen to him he let them get eaten up by a swarm of Emphatics? He just lets Winsome become dinner because he didn't get his way?"

"That's one of them stories with the morals you talk about."

The miko growled. "And what's the moral of this story? Huh? Do what he says or demons will be picking you out of their teeth?"

"Stupid. Of course he saves her. He'll always save her. But she shoulda listened to him and not think he was a pervert just because he happened to be in the area and was checking to see if there was any danger around!"

Kagome let her head fall onto the ground with a slight thump. Then she took a deep breath.

"Okay, I get it. I'm sorry about this morning. I shouldn't have said The Word when I saw your ears. I'm sorry I yelled at you." She rolled over and sat back up. "And thank you for taking care of those demons. It was kind of hard for us to fight when we … um… didn't have … er… you know… while we were in the middle of the hot spring."

Inuyasha looked away. "It's just a story, Kagome. It don't got nuthin' to do with that."

"Okay. But I wanted to say it anyhow."

She went to close her notebook, but he stopped her.

"You forgot the end."

"I did?" She looked at the page, but didn't make a move to continue writing. "What did I miss?"

"Dummy." He put the pen back in her hand before turning away again. "And they lived happily ever after."

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Author's Note:

Ah ha! A cleverly disguised assignment. Check out (or that paper one) to find out the definitions. If I were a nicer author I would have included them in the Author's Note. Actually, at first I did, but then I started getting concerned about copyright laws, and figured if you guys were interested enough in the definitions you'd look them up.

As an interesting side note (interesting to me at least) I wanted to make a story based on the word Foofaraw before I started this Creative Writing story. In fact, I think that is basically why I started it in the first place. I always thought words were interesting, especially the odd ones that you don't see every day. Though I get the giggles when I use the word Foofaraw, my absolute favorite word, the one that seems most descriptive, is definitely Galumph.

Also, it has never been proven to me beyond a shadow of a doubt what that fluffy thing around Sesshomaru is. I know a lot of people say it's a tail, but I've never seen it actually connected to him and don't recall ever seeing it mentioned in the manga or anime what it is. So until I see it for myself, I'm sticking to being ambiguous about what the heck that thing is.

C'ya next time!


	13. All About Who?

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

All About Who?

Assignment # 13: 

Do you really know the person next to you? Well, now is your chance to find out. You are to write a biography on one of your peers. Do not use a family member, historical figure, or celebrity. The person you choose must be someone you know personally, or would like to know better. Use your interviewing skills to collect data.

Just a reminder that the biography needs to be impersonal and factual. Do not use this as an opportunity to slander someone you dislike or to declare your undying love to that special someone.

In addition to the biography, I would like you to write a short essay on why you chose this person and what you feel you have learned from this assignment.

Kagome tapped her pen nervously on her pad of paper as she waited for Kaede to finish her morning duties. Inuyasha was off with Miroku and Sango to gather supplies, so now was the perfect time to strike. Er… politely ask Kaede questions.

Of course, her first instinct had been to do a biography on Inuyasha, but she had quickly discarded that idea. It would be too difficult to tell his story and not let it slip that he was a half demon who practically raised himself. She really had no desire to get another lecture from her teacher about taking the assignments seriously. Or worse, have to talk with the counselor again.

Sango and Miroku were both out as well. She didn't think many people would buy that there were demon slayers out there. Then she'd have to explain about demons. And no way did she want to talk about Miroku. How did one explain a monk with his… inappropriate inclinations? Oh yeah, and the wind tunnel thing wouldn't be very easy to explain either.

Her next option was Kaede. She had led an interesting life. She was respected and helpful and important in her community. So why did Kagome decide not to do her report on the older miko.

"You had questions for me, Kagome?" asked Kaede as she entered the hut.

"Yes. Could you tell me about Kikyo?"

Why, oh why did she decide to do the biography on KIKYO? What was the matter with her? What could have possessed her to voluntarily spend time talking about the woman who held Inuyasha's heart? Regardless of what her report card showed, she really wasn't a dumb person. Really!

"Kikyo? What would you like to know, child?" It was generally difficult to surprise Kaede, but the question seemed to do it.

Kagome looked down at her notebook and doodled in the corner while she asked her favor. Talking about Kikyo was never easy, and listening about her was even more difficult. So far this wasn't as easy as she expected, and she had expected it to be torture.

"My new assignment is to write a biography on someone I know, but that I don't know very well."

"And you chose my sister?"

Kagome smiled wryly. "Well… she wasn't really my first choice… but I thought about it, and I thought that it would be safest. And more challenging." She fiddled with the edge of the paper. "And I kind of need to prove to my teacher that I'm taking the assignments seriously."

"What would you like to know?"

What would she like to know? Dates were out of the question. She couldn't very well say that the person she was talking about was from the Feudal Era now could she? She didn't really want to talk about Kikyo's relationship with Inuyasha. She could go her whole life without ever hearing THAT story again and die perfectly happy.

"What was she like? Before Inuyasha. Before Naraku."

Kaede sat down and thought about the question.

"My sister was older than me by nearly ten years. I was still but a child as she turned into an adult. Our parents were very proud of Kikyo. She was in training to become the protector of the Shikon jewel at a very young age. She was serious and calm. And compassionate. She was the example I was to live up to." She looked Kagome in the eye. "Do not judge Kikyo's character by the creature of clay and bones. She was human. And she was kind. But she was lonely. She did not ask to become a priestess, it was a duty that was required of her. And she did that duty without complaint."

Kagome wrote with difficulty. Though Kaede did not talk fast, it was easy to get too caught up in listening instead of recording.

"There were times, however," Kaede continued, "That it felt as if Kikyo believed her life had been stolen from her. Before Naraku tricked Inuyasha into wounding her. If it had not been for the jewel, and the duty to protect it as the priestess, she may have been able to live the life of any normal woman. She never had a husband, or even a lover. A brief kiss and a hug with a half demon hardly counts as a lover, now does it? And she never had any children. And, my child, she did love the village children so."

Kaede sighed and stood up. "You know the ending of the story. Is there anything else you wish to know?"

"No. Thank you, Kaede. You've been a great help." She collected her items and paused at the door. "Do you think… do you think it would be okay if I talked to some of the elders of the village about her?"

Kaede smiled, then gave her the names of people to talk to, and directions to their homes. By lunchtime, Kagome was thoroughly depressed. Everyone had loved and respected Kikyo. Honorable. Kind. Strong. Pure. Caring. The woman was practically a saint! At least, before the whole Naraku thing happened. Before she shot Inuyasha.

"Oi, what's wrong with you, wench?"

Moving the food around in her cup, Kagome sighed. "Just… thinking about my homework." She didn't miss his half whispered curses.

"Can I have your noodles if you aren't going to eat them?" asked Shippo.

"She's eating them, runt," Inuyasha growled. "Get your hands off it!"

Kagome handed the kit the noodles and he scurried off with his prize. She wasn't feeling particularly hungry after spending the morning interviewing people about Kikyo. In fact, she was feeling a little sick to her stomach. _Why did Kikyo have to be so perfect?_ She raised her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, dropping her head to rest. Okay, more to hide than rest.

"Kagome… tell me what's wrong." Inuyasha's voice was rough with concern.

He had moved to block her from sight of the group. What was she supposed to say? That she was depressed because she realized just how poorly she really did measured up to Kikyo? In the past, she had just assumed it was love clouding Inuyasha's judgment on how perfect the other miko was. Now she knew that wasn't quite true. Everyone couldn't be wrong.

A tingling sensation danced along her spine. She looked up and almost laughed. What great timing.

"Soul stealers," she whispered.

Again Inuyasha cursed. But then he did something that shocked her. He stayed put.

Kagome cleared her throat. Maybe he hadn't heard her, or didn't see them. Unlikely, but more probable than him just ignoring them. She nearly kicked herself for what she was going to do, but figured it had to be done. She reminded him.

"Kikyo's soul stealers, Inuyasha."

He crouched in front of her and glared. Well, maybe not _glared_ exactly. But his eyes were narrowed and piercing, and slightly suspicious. He swore some more before demanding an explanation.

"What is wrong with you, Kagome?

"Nothing. Just go to her."

"Stop lying to me!" he yelled in outrage.

"Just GO!" What the heck was she doing? When exactly did she become insane? She sighed heavily. "She may have information about the jewel. Or about Naraku." When he still didn't move, she pulled out the big guns. "She may need you, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha glared at her (really glaring this time) and stood up. "This ain't over," he said as he stormed off.

Kagome let out yet another sigh and looked around at her friends, who were all staring at her as if she had sprouted another head. Or a tail. Or had sent the love of her life off to be with his ex-girlfriend. Maybe her report card was right. Maybe she was an idiot.

"Are you okay, Kagome?"

"Yes, Shippo. Just a bit tired."

Tired. Tired and feeling just a wee bit on the insignificant side. What exactly had she done with her life? What kind of person was she? There is no way she could live up to Kikyo's image. No wonder Inuyasha wasn't head over heels in love with her. There was no way she could live up to the memory of perfection.

"What is your homework assignment?" asked Sango as she gave Kagome a sympathetic look. Obviously she wasn't hiding her emotions very well today.

"I'm writing a biography on someone." Kagome bit her lip. It wouldn't hurt to have their impressions for her assignment. None of them actually knew Kikyo when she was alive though. Still… "I'm writing it on Kikyo."

There was silence.

A very long silence.

"You chose to write on Kikyo?" asked a mystified Miroku. "Intentionally?"

Kagome laughed and straightened her legs. She picked up her notebook, grabbed a pencil, then got up to go sit by her friends.

"Yes. I thought it would be… challenging. The bio is supposed to be factual, and impersonal. So, tell me about what you know about Kikyo. You first, Shippo."

"I don't like her."

"That's not impersonal and impartial, Shippo. Facts only." But she couldn't help grinning at the kit's disgruntled look and crossed arms. Sometimes he looked just like Inuyasha. Well, almost.

Shippo thought about it. "She's pretty." He looked up at Kagome with big green eyes. "But not as pretty as you."

Kagome smiled and gave him a pat on the head.

"How about you, Miroku? Tell me about Kikyo."

The monk's face was calm and serene, and his voice was gentle. "Kikyo was a great priestess. She helps others in need. She is greatly respected. She is also quite powerful, and, yes, very beautiful. But," he said as Sango looked like she was going to explode and crack his head open with her weapon, "Her greatest failing was that she did not have enough faith in others."

"She was tricked by Naraku," said Kagome, wondering why she was defending her.

"I'll tell you what I think about her," growled Sango.

Somehow, Kagome didn't think that the next words that would be coming out of Sango's mouth would be very complimentary. One of the things she loved about the slayer was her devotion to her friends.

"Remember, it has to be factual."

"Here's a fact. She tried to kill you." She flexed her fist.

But that wasn't really Kikyo. Not the Kikyo who was alive. Not the one who still holds Inuyasha's heart. Kaede was right. The woman walking around might have Kikyo's face, but not her heart. Not her essence. She holds only a small portion of who she really was. But this time Kagome couldn't find it in her to defend her. In fact, she was feeling even more discouraged.

Miroku was the one to remind Sango it though. Kagome closed her notebook and watched with a heavy heart as they argued. It hurt to hear Miroku defending Kikyo, even though she was doing it just a moment earlier in her mind. They were not to judge her on who she was now, but who she was when she was alive, he told them. Sango refused to back down from her attack and reminded him that attempted murder cancels out any past good deeds. Shippo sat beside Kagome, watching her nervously. Kirara crawled into her lap and purred to comfort her.

The voices died when Inuyasha walked through the trees with a stormy expression on his face. Of course he had heard them arguing. Kagome expected him to be angry with Sango for maligning Kikyo's good name. But he looked equally ticked off at both the monk AND the slayer.

Wisely, everyone kept quite as Inuyasha tried to get his temper under control. They didn't say anything as he snatched the paper out of Kagome's hand. The more he looked at it, the more furious he looked.

"What's this?" he asked as he crushed the paper in his grip.

Kagome frowned at him. "You really have to stop destroying my homework assignments, Inuyasha."

"What is this?"

"I'm writing a biography."

"On Kikyo?"

"Yes."

He shoved the paper back at her. "Read it to me."

"I… I really only have about a paragraph. I mean, they didn't tell me how long it had to be, so it might be long enough. I've seen short biographies and long biographies. So I guess it's really up to me how long…"

"Just read it."

Kagome smoothed the paper flat, looked around at her friends, then glumly began to read what she wrote.

Kikyo was a miko, a priestess, who had been chosen to be the protector of an artifact that was said to be magical. She trained from a young age to become a priestess and devoted her life to helping others. She was beautiful, kind, honorable, and selfless. Everyone in her village loved and respected her. She was a paragon of virtue and the epitome of perfection, but was brutally murdered while protecting the artifact. All mourned her tragic passing. No one will ever be able to replace her.

He glared at her, then he glared at the group who was watching so intently. He grabbed Kagome's arm and yanked her to her feet. Then before anyone could say a word, he had taken off with her. They didn't go far, just far enough to be out of hearing range.

"Why?"

She shrugged as she took a couple of steps away from him after he set her back on her feet. She didn't really have an answer for him, since she hadn't really even thought of the reason herself.

He took the paper away from her and clutched in his fist. "Do you _really_ believe this… this…" He shook the paper at her, unable to find just the right word for what he thought of her assignment.

Kagome shrugged again. "I've talked to Kaede, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and just about everyone in the village who is old enough to remember her. And even some who weren't, but had heard stories of how wonderful and perfect she was. So, yes, Inuyasha. I guess I do believe it."

For awhile he just kind of glowered at her and grumbled things she couldn't understand under his breath. Though she was fairly certain she heard the words 'stupid' and 'idiot'. She guessed he wasn't praising her writing prowess.

"You didn't ask ME," he finally stated.

"Uh… well… no."

He crossed his arms in front of his chest and gave her a hard look. "Ask me."

Oh boy. This was soooo not the conversation Kagome wanted to have with Inuyasha. Ever. It was bad enough hearing everyone else in the world singing the praises of her rival, but it might just crush her to have to listen to that from Inuyasha. There was only so much a heart could take in one day without shattering.

"Ask me about Kikyo."

Kagome closed her eyes as she leaned back against the tree. She put her hands behind her back and dug her fingers into the bark.

"Tell me about Kikyo."

Inuyasha stepped closer and gently lifted her chin with one clawed finger, making her realize that she had lowered her head. He waited to speak until she was looking at him. Even though he hadn't said a word yet, she could already feel her heart squeezing tight. Why couldn't she breathe? Did heart break affect the lungs too?

"Kikyo was a woman. Just a regular woman, Kagome. She wasn't perfect. She wasn't no paragon of virtue, neither. That's why I was interested in her. She did what she had to do, but not because it was the right thing to do, but because it was the raw deal that life handed her. She hated the role she was forced into and was looking for a way out. She thought that her way out might be me. I was drawn to her because I thought she might be my way out of the raw deal life handed me, too."

His voice was soft. And it hurt. She wasn't aware that a tear had escaped until he caught it on her cheek. Funny how her body seemed to be doing whatever it pleased when she was trying so hard to be calm and in control. Stupid body.

"She was strong, but it wasn't tempered with the gentleness yo… with gentleness. Her scent was nice, but it wasn't calming and soothing. She made me feel needed, but she didn't make me feel wanted or complete. She was someone I wanted to be near, but she wasn't someone I _needed_ to be near. She was a possibility of a new life, but she wasn't my life. No one can ever be Kikyo, but no one could ever be you either, Kagome." He pushed back a little until he was no longer touching her. "So don't be so stupid."

The blush on his cheeks made her smile. Of course, his words had her blushing too. He wasn't as good at trying to subtle as he thought he was. Maybe the biography could use a little re-writing after all. She picked up the paper from where it had dropped unnoticed.

"I don't have a pen."

Inuyasha pulled her pencil from his robes. "Here."

"You're unusually prepared," she commented.

"Keh. Just write."

Kagome sat on the ground and made a couple scratch outs and drew a line to insert new information. She tried to concentrate on the homework and not the hanyou who was now crouched in front of her and watching so intently. He would be cute if he wasn't so annoying.

Aw, heck, he was too cute.

In a small village lived a girl whose path was decided for her before she was even born. Kikyo was a miko, a priestess, who had been chosen to be the protector of an artifact that was said to be magical. She trained from a young age to become a priestess and devoted her life to helping others. Everyone in her village loved and respected her. She was beautiful, kind, honorable, and selfless. But even the most selfless of people have selfish desires. Kikyo wanted nothing more than to be a regular woman with a family of her own, but she put aside her own desires to serve others. She was never able to have the life she wanted. While she was protecting the artifact she was brutally murdered. All mourned her tragic passing. No one will ever be able to replace her.

Inuyasha frowned at the finished product. "I don't like that last part."

"No one _can_ replace her, Inuyasha." She grinned up at him. "Just like no one can replace me."

He grinned back.

They sat there for a few minutes, just smiling. Then it was decided that they should head back. Inuyasha helped her up then walked slowly, bumping her hand with his. It took a few steps for Kagome to catch on and take his hand in hers.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

The person I chose to do my biography on was not my friend, or even someone that I liked much. In fact, she was someone that I was very jealous and envious of. People kept asking me why I chose her for my biography, and I wondered why myself. I think that maybe it was my way of trying to look at her impersonally, like the assignment said. Maybe if I could look at her from a different point of view I wouldn't always feel like I was being compared to her, and falling short.

That was the plan, but at first I felt like I would always pale in comparison. Everyone loved her, and it seemed like she was perfect. I could never be as great as she was. Boy, what a blow to my self-esteem. 

Maybe a part of me wanted to write it hoping that someone else disliked her as well. Maybe I was trying to find someone to tell me that she wasn't good and wonderful and perfect. But each person I spoke with praised her like she was a saint. In fact, no one really had anything bad to say about her at all. And sadly, this made writing those good things even harder.

Who knew that writing impersonally could be so difficult?

It took a good friend of mine to remind me that she was human, that she wasn't perfect. No one is perfect. She had hopes and dreams and anger and resentment and fears and sadness, too. Regardless of all she may have done in her life, and how she is remembered after death, Kikyo was still just a woman. Like me.

After writing this report I realized just how lucky I am to be able to live and love as I choose, that I don't have to follow any path but my own.

Kagome looked at her explanation, and was amused to see that it was so much longer than the biography she wrote. She tucked the notebook into her backpack then settled down to sleep.

"No one could ever replace you either, Inuyasha," she whispered as she closed her eyes, not fooled by the hanyou pretending to be sleeping.

"Feh."

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Note:

Thanks Fryloche, for your suggestion of writing a biography and the suggestion of using Kikyo. Sometimes it is difficult to write objectively about someone or something if you have strong feelings for them (or it, depending on what you're writing about).

For some reason I haven't any reviews or story updates in my email, even though reviews show in Is anyone else having this problem?


	14. Monorhyme

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Monorhyme

Assignment # 14: 

It is time 

To learn to rhyme. 

You must write a Monorhyme. 

Each word at the end of the line of a Monorhyme poem must rhyme. The poem must be at least six lines long, more lines are acceptable Try writing about a friend or a pet.

"Not another assignment!"

"Oh, stop complaining, Inuyasha."

Right. The only way that was happening is if that command had a spell attached to it. Inuyasha was beginning to absolutely hate that notebook of hers. And the scratching sound of her pencil was getting on his nerves. Half of those stupid assignments ended up with her in tears, and that was just not acceptable!

"No tears!"

Kagome blinked at him stupidly. "What?"

"You heard me. No tears. You aren't allowed to cry at this one. If it's sad, I ain't letting you do it."

"Let?"

Now how had he let her temper slip his mind?

But his mind was made up. No sad stuff this time. He was sick and tired of having Kagome upset because of some stupid teacher in some stupid school in some stupid future. But he was going to stand strong, even if he got a few 'sits' out of it. Uh oh… her aura was starting to flare wildly.

"LET?"

Why didn't he look at that Word of the Day calendar Kagome brought with her awhile back? Maybe he could of found a slightly better word than 'let'. Who knew it was one of her hot button words? Sheesh. Women were so confusing.

"What is your story about this time?" asked Sango, much to the obvious disappointment of the bloodthirsty kit and monk. Those two were just waiting for Kagome to explode.

"No story this time," Kagome said, successfully distracted. Inuyasha made a note to reward Sango by sending Miroku out for some firewood later to give her a few moments to relax her guard against his wandering hands. "It's a poem. A Monorhyme about a pet or a friend or something."

"Monorhyme?"

"Yes, Shippo. A monorhyme is a poem where all the lines end with a word that sounds the same. Like jog, dog, log."

"What's a 'snog', Kagome?" Shippo asked as he read over her shoulder.

Kagome turned an interesting shade of pink. Just what was a 'snog' that it had her blushing like that?

"Um…." She closed her notebook quickly. "It's… uh… hard to explain… kinda…" She looked towards Sango for help. It irritated the hanyou that she didn't look to HIM. Maybe a 'snog' was another one of those woman things.

"Is your poem finished?" asked Sango curiously, coming to her friend's rescue again. Hmph, she just lost a Miroku free night for that.

"Well… yeah…"

"Read it," demanded Inuyasha. She was hiding something, he could smell it.

She slid her notebook into her pack, but Inuyasha retrieved it.

"Aw, c'mon Kagome," pleaded the fox kit. "You _always_ read us your journal entries." Inuyasha knew that Kagome wouldn't be able to stand up to those green eyes of his when he goes into begging mode. For once it actually worked in his favor.

Of course she caved. Clearing her throat nervously she began to read:

I love my cute and fuzzy dog

Makes me want to cuddle and snog

He'll pull you out of any bog

He'll run or jump or fight or jog

To find you in the thickest fog

Though when he is a ramen hog

You want to hit him with a log

"I like the part where you hit Inuyasha with a log," Shippo said with a nod of approval.

"I never said it was Inuyasha." She closed the notebook and shoved it back into her pack.

"It was about ramen and a dog… of course it was Inuyasha!" laughed Sango. The look Kagome gave her told the other woman that she was a traitor. But the slayer must have missed it. Inuyasha didn't though.

"No, wait… the teacher said we could… you know… write about a pet or something."

"Your pet is a cat," Inuyasha pointed out.

"You have a pet cat?" asked Shippo.

"Of course she does," Inuyasha said smugly. He knew all sorts of stuff about Kagome and her life in the future than none of the others did. He was the only one to share her life on the other side of the well. "He's black and white and he scratches a lot. He hangs out in the kitchen or in Kagome's room most of the time. His name is Buyo."

"The poem did sound very similar to Inuyasha," commented the monk.

Inuyasha frowned. He didn't particularly care to being compared to a pet. He was a man (sort of) and not a dog! Well, half human at any rate. But he sure wasn't no dumb dog! He wasn't some animal, some guard dog. He looked down at his sharp claws. Definitely not human.

He hoped that they were all wrong, that the poem wasn't about him.

One of his biggest fears, though he would never admit it, was that Kagome saw him as nothing more than an animal. His ears twitched as Kagome moved around the camp to get ready for bed, which was obviously a ploy to distract the others from the poem. Another dog-like attribute, they were a big reminder that he wasn't human. Sure she liked his ears, but she probably liked Buyo's ears too.

He watched as Kagome smoothed out her sleeping bag and crawled in. Shippo bounced over and cuddled in close. Instinct told him to get the kit off her, that no other males should be touching her. He tried to ignore it though, he refused to be ruled by instinct. Kagome loved Shippo and Shippo loved Kagome. They were family, of sorts. And as much as it irked him sometimes, he wouldn't try to separate them. He wasn't controlled by his instincts.

He wasn't an animal.

He wasn't!

But did she understand that? She tells him to 'sit'. She says 'good boy' while she pats his head. If she thought of him as a dog... an animal… she would never want… she wouldn't want to be _with_ an animal.

Great. He had worried about the assignment upsetting HER, but instead it was tearing HIM apart!

One by one his pack fell asleep. Pack… that was an animal term… not a human term. No wonder she thought of him as an animal if even his own thoughts turned that direction. But… she never said it was weird. In fact, the few times she heard him refer to them as a pack she actually beamed at him.

Inuyasha didn't even realize he was going to wake up Kagome until he was over at her bag tapping her leg to get her attention.

"Inuyasha?"

He couldn't bring himself to ask her the question he wanted to, so he repeated the question that Shippo had asked earlier.

"What is a snog?"

Kagome blushed. Then she looked away, biting her lip. Then she looked back at him with eyes filled with… something… something he couldn't identify, was scared to try to identify. She smiled as she sat up, careful not to disturb Shippo. She leaned forward, making Inuyasha a little nervous.

Oh yeah, she thought of him as a man.

He gulped. Suddenly his palms were sweating and his heart was beating erratically. She kept leaning closer. Closer. What should he do? His instincts were screaming at him, but his brain was on overload and he couldn't think straight. How was he supposed to think straight when she was looking at him like that?

"A snog," whispered Kagome in a voice that literally sent funny feeling shivers across his skin, "Is a kiss."

A kiss.

Kagome leaned back and pulled the covers back up. But Inuyasha was frozen in place. _I love my cute and fuzzy dog, makes me want to cuddle and snog._ Kiss.

Him?

He hoped that they were all right, that the poem was about him.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Note:

Thanks to ShiroOokamiInu for the suggestion to write about a favorite pet or animal. I decided to use a monorhyme poem for this one.

Sorry it took awhile to update. But this storyline is sporadic and I wait until I have an idea that I really like (there are tons of great ones you guys send me, but sometimes it takes awhile for the story to hit me) before writing it. Since these are all basically one shots, there is no smooth storyline that I have to worry about.

The next one is just about done though, so it shouldn't take too long to put up.


	15. The Tree

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

The Tree

Assignment # 15: 

Think in a new way from a new perspective. Write a short story, 1000 – 1500 words, using the point of view of an inanimate object. Remember that everyone and everything has a story to tell, you just have to look for it.

"You're writing about a what?"

"A tree. I told you that already, Inuyasha."

"A tree?"

"Yes. A tree."

The look he gave her spoke quite clearly that he thought she had lost her mind. "That's stupid. Who would want to read a story about a stupid tree?"

Kagome ground her teeth and tried very hard not to 'sit' her friend. They had been getting along so well lately, it would be a shame to jump into a giant blow out argument and ruin it. "The assignment is to write a story about an inanimate object. That means a story about something that doesn't move. Usually 'inanimate' refers to non-living things, but I think since a tree rarely ever gets up and moves around that it will qualify."

"I still think it's stupid." He looked around and snorted. "Who wants to hear what a tree has to say?"

Of course, if he kept up with calling her perfectly wonderful and romantical idea _stupid_… she might just sit him all the way down to the center of the earth. At the moment it was a very satisfying image.

"Are you writing about any particular tree?" asked Miroku, who had been enjoying the afternoon's "discussion" immensely. With Sango gone off to get more materials from her village, the only thing to look forward to was the inevitable argument between half-demon and miko.

She cleared her throat, turning her head so no one could see the blush she was sure was heating up her cheeks. "Yes. The God tree."

"That could be interesting," smiled Miroku warmly. He moved to sit on the same fallen tree as Kagome and leaned in close, his voice smooth as honey. "I'm sure that the God tree would be able to tell a very interesting story."

"Back off!" ordered Inuyasha as he shoved the monk off the tree and onto the ground. "Only you could make a story about a tree sound perverted."

Miroku grinned good-naturedly. "Ah, but it is not just any tree, my friend. Now is it?" He stretched a hand up to Kagome, with twinkling eyes. "Would you mind lending me your hand so I may stand up?"

Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's wrist as she started reaching towards their friend. "I'll help you up, monk."

Instantly Miroku was off the ground. Completely off the ground. His feet dangled about two inches off of the ground while the dog demon held him by the front of his robes. Of course, considering this wasn't the first time he had been in this position, it didn't seem to bother Miroku very much. Sometimes, though, he wondered why he got such pleasure out of tormenting Inuyasha by provoking his jealousy. Where did his sense of self-preservation go, anyhow?

"Inuyasha…" warned Kagome, crossing her arms and glaring in his direction. She tried to sound stern, but couldn't seem to keep the sound of laughter out of her voice.

Golden eyes flickered in her direction. He didn't miss the tone of her voice. For a moment he debated on whether or not it was worth ruining her good mood just to punish the monk for his obviously lecherous attempts at touching Kagome. He hoped Sango came back soon. Did she really need MORE weapons? The woman already had enough hidden weapons for a small army. More than likely she was just finding an excuse to ditch the letch for awhile.

"Keh," he said before he dropped the monk to his feet. "I was just helping him up."

"Mmm hmm."

"Have you finished your story, lady Kagome?" asked Miroku as he dusted off his robes and moved to take his seat by her side once more.

At the threatening rumbling sound behind him he decided to change direction at the last moment and sit on the ground a little to her right. Sure he liked to provoke the dog demon, but he wasn't a complete idiot. He watched in amusement as Inuyasha stormed over to her and sat on the ground in front of her, just a few inches shy of her right leg, putting his body between monk and miko. An effective living shield.

"Why aren't you off harassing the women of the village?" grumbled Inuyasha testily.

Miroku didn't answer. Telling his friends that it just wasn't the same without Sango there to threaten him with bodily harm if he touched another woman didn't seem like the wisest thing to say. They might ask questions he wasn't so sure he wanted to answer. Then he'd have to bring up Inuyasha's relationship with Kagome in retaliation, which would get everyone fighting and embarrassed. Then Kagome would go home and he'd be stuck with a sulking, bad-tempered, ticked off hanyou. So instead he smiled.

"I was anxious to hear the story that my lady Kagome has written."

For a moment, Miroku thought that he may have gone a little too far with the possessive word 'my' when referring to Kagome. The look that Inuyasha was giving him was promising death. A long and painful death. Did his eyes just flicker red? Was that disturbance in the air the pulse of his demonic aura?

Suddenly the wind tunnel in his hand wasn't his most likely cause of death.

Luckily Kagome came to his rescue. She put her hand on Inuyasha's head. Her fingers slid down his head, letting strands of silver slip through her fingers. His aura calmed and his eyes went back to gold. It wasn't the rosary that held such power over Inuyasha, Miroku mused. However, he felt it wise to keep that tidbit of information to himself. No sense pressing his luck.

"I ain't no dog to pet," grumbled Inuyasha, though no one could help but notice that he didn't pull away.

"Hey!" Everyone turned towards Shippo's voice. Obviously he got bored playing with the local children and came back to camp. That or he was hungry for more sweets. "What are you guys doing?"

"Kagome was going to tell us a story about a tree."

"I was?"

Miroku smiled. Shippo smiled. Inuyasha's ears swiveled in her direction. Just great. Kagome wondered just what color of red her cheeks were. She would be willing to bet they were nice shade of bright scarlet.

"It's only my first draft... "

"We don't mind," Miroku assured her.

Shippo scrambled into her lap. "Pleeeeease!"

Now who can resist great big green eyes? Not Kagome, that's for sure. So reluctantly she reached into her bag and pulled out her notebook. Shippo moved to her shoulder as she set the notebook in her lap and flipped to the correct spot.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

My Little Bit of Earth

One Tree's Story

Hundreds of acorns fell. Most became food for the local wildlife. Many of the very few survivors ended up rotting in the sun, dead before they had a chance to live. A strong gust of wind scattered the rest of us. Half of us were lucky enough to be buried and forgotten by squirrels. Four of us sprouted. Two of us had enough sunlight to grow. But only one of us survived the harsh winter.

Me.

Seasons came and went as my roots grew deeper into my little bit of earth. The first year was the hardest as I struggled to secure my place in the world. The first Winter I was close to death from the killing snow. But I survived. I was a little weaker, and I drooped, but I was alive. Spring was difficult with the curious creatures around me nearly uprooting me and trying to eat me to satisfy their hunger. But I grew, and I grew a little stronger. I managed to be strong enough to survive Summer with its searing heat and lack of rain. Nearly burned and dehydrated, I survived to Autumn.

There was no time to notice the world around me as I fought just to keep myself alive.

For a hundred years I continued to grow and watch the world around me, each year getting a little bigger, a little stronger. My branches and trunk were homes for birds and rodents alike. I watched as they went about their lives. They are born, grow up, have babies, and die. Such short lives these creatures have.

One day I saw something new. It stood on two legs. It spoke in a language I had never heard before. It was interesting. After a hundred years of life it was unusual to find something so new and interesting. It was a boy.

A young boy.

He looked lost and alone. For the first time I felt something stir inside of me. Compassion? Empathy? Another new and interesting thing. So I watched the boy. I listened to him. I let him climb my branches and fall asleep, keeping him safe until the next morning.

He left me.

So I continued to watch the animals go about their daily lives. I often thought about that boy and wondered how he was faring. Until one day he came back to me. But he had grown. He stood almost twice as tall as when I saw him last. No longer did he look lost, but he still looked alone. And angry.

He climbed into my branches and told me of the unfairness of life. People were cruel. Greedy. And they had hurt him.

He left me.

I watched the animals go about their daily lives, but now I had something new to think about. People. There seemed to be more and more of them. Sometimes I would hear their voices in the distance. I saw my other trees in the distance fall. Some were young, but some were even older and I. And now I had a new feeling inside of me. Fear.

People were coming, and they were destroying my forest. For the first time I felt that my little bit of earth was confining. I was trapped.

The next time the boy came to me he was taller, and almost a man. Today he brought someone with him. A female. They spoke of love and life and family. His voice was tender. There was something about him that touched a part of my soul. Love.

I found something new that day. I found envy. Oh how I wish I had a companion, a love. He seemed happy. It was not a feeling I understood, but I wish I could.

I learned that happiness was not a constant thing. I learned that with love can come pain. And betrayal. I no longer envied the boy… no, the man. When he was betrayed by love even I could feel his pain and heartache. I could feel that a part of him had died. And I was no longer envious of this feeling called love. What good is love if it causes so much pain? Humans are stupid creatures. I would rather not feel at all than to feel the betrayal of love.

Years went by, and all I could do was try to forget. Try to believe I never learned of this horrible thing called love.

Perhaps it was fate, or perhaps it was magic, but one day a girl came to me. But it was not me she was drawn to, it was the boy. The man. And she brought with her love. But we were not so foolish this time to be tempted by love. We spurned her love, tried to hate her, to blame her for The Other. But, still she loved. And one day the man stopped trying to hate her. One day he looked and saw that she loved.

I found something new that day. I found hope. Hope that maybe it was possible to have love. Real love.

I found true love.

Maybe it is worth it after all.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Kagome cleared her throat and looked off to the left, away from her listeners. "Um… it's not quite done… it's only a little over eight hundred and fifty words… but… anyhow, that's what I have so far." Nervously she closed her notebook and clutched it to her chest, unsure if she was protecting it or it was to protect her.

"It was a very sweet story," smiled Miroku kindly.

"Aw," complained Shippo, "There was no fighting or anything! Not even a drop of blo…" He caught himself in mid complaint, "But it was a good story, Kagome."

Kagome valiantly tried to not roll her eyes. At least he was trying to be diplomatic. Not like Inuyasha. She steeled herself for his comments. But he surprised her by merely grunting. Then he stood up and jumped up into the tree to watch them. Now that she expected. When in doubt, take to the trees.

Shippo helped Kagome get dinner ready. Miroku kept a watch for Sango, who showed up just before dusk, brandishing a new set of daggers. Inuyasha stayed in the tree and watched, disappearing shortly after dinner was finished.

Kagome debated with herself if she should go after him or not. She worried that the story may have been too forward of her, or too assuming. What if she was mistaken about his feelings for her and he was angry with her for thinking he might feel something other than simply friendship for her? Or what if he didn't want her little declaration of love or was embarrassed or ashamed by it? Worse yet… what if he laughed? But the story was fiction. Sort of.

But… what if he felt the same?

It wasn't a tough decision to make, really. Better to take a chance than to never know. So she tucked Shippo into bed and snuck away from camp to find her hanyou.

Well, he found her actually.

She had only taken a few steps away from camp when she heard the rustle of leaves and suddenly Inuyasha was standing in front of her with his arms crossed over his chest as he gave her a stern look. He looked like he was doing some debating himself. He seemed to come to a decision and decided to walk with her rather than scold her for leaving camp by herself.

"The tree was pretty stupid," Inuyasha said as they approached the edge of the cliff. Kagome thought it was rather stupid of to disparage her romantic story when just one strong push would send him plummeting to the river far far FAR below.

"He was not."

Inuyasha looked towards the horizon as the last of the color faded from the sky. "Yeah, he was. He shouldn't have given up on… he shouldn't have been so mean to…" He scratched the back of his head, still refusing to look at her. "He just shouldn't have been so stupid for so long."

"Well…" She wondered if he could hear her heart thundering. His ear twitched in her direction, so it was entirely possible. "Well… if he… you know… did start to feel things… then it was all worth it. Right? I mean… if he learned."

Inuyasha dropped his hand to his side, letting it bump against Kagome's. This time he did look at her. His eyes glowed amber. "Yeah… he learned."

The feel of his hand against hers caused the miko's brain to go a little fuzzy. "What did he learn?" She had to know. He had to say it. She would never be able to completely believe how he felt unless he actually said the words to her.

"He learned to love again. True love this time."

"He did?"

"Yeah." He let his fingers separate slightly, so hers would fit between them. "He finally got smart."

Kagome took a breath. "The tree?"

"Yeah," he chuckled, "Him, too."

Kagome intertwined her fingers with his. It looked like she would have to be content with that. For now.

"I still have to end the story, Inuyasha. What do you think should come next?"

She was expecting a smart aleck comment or a rude suggestion. She didn't expect the blush than ran across his cheeks. Or to have him suddenly pull his hand away from hers. Just what was her hanyou thinking?

"How… how should I know? It's your stupid story!"

"You just thought of something though. What was it?"

"I did not!" He back away from the cliff nervously and looked ready to bolt, the redness from his cheeks seemed to just spread.

"Yes you did! Tell me!"

"No!"

"Inuyaaashaaaa!"

This time he did bolt. That's okay. He couldn't hide from her forever. She already knew that she had found true love a very long time ago. Now she found something else.

Hope.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Note: Thanks for your reviews everyone. I would have posted this a lot sooner, but the flu knocked me on my patootie.

I know that it took a long time for this chapter to come out. But this story line can be sporadic since each chapter is pretty much a one shot. I'd rather wait awhile until I come up with something I really like than to just put something I threw together out there.


	16. Current Events

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Current Events

Assignment #16: 

Be aware of the world around you. Read the newspaper or watch the news and choose a story. Write a 300-500 word essay on the event, how it affects the world, and how you feel about it.

Inuyasha watched Kagome watch the television. Usually he was content to watch her no matter what she was doing. But today she was surrounded by open newspapers and looked like she was going to explode. He would ask what was wrong, but he wasn't sure if she was going to erupt in anger or in (shudder) tears. Yelling he could handle. Being 'sat' he could handle. But tears?

Then again, he was pretty sure he knew what was wrong so it wasn't necessary to ask. Regardless of what a certain fox kit thought, he was no moron.

For the last several hours he had been sitting there with Kagome as she read through the papers that were now scattered around and watched what she explained to him was the News. The News was something on the magic box that told them what was going on not only in the city where they lived, but in the whole world, too. The Paper was all written stuff that said just about the same thing as the News, but at least there were no annoying commercials. Though neither one seemed to put his miko in a better mood than the other.

Kagome was upset.

And it bothered the dog demon more than he could express. Usually when things began to bother him so much he would pick a fight to have something else to focus on or just take off and watch from afar. Denial and avoidance were underrated in his opinion. But he didn't feel like getting Kagome mad. And he sure didn't feel like leaving her alone to wallow in all this… this… horror.

He hadn't known that so much bad stuff went on in her world. The thought of letting her run around alone in this dangerous world was unthinkable. How could he ever let her out of his sight again without being worried sick? Who would have thought that a demon riddled world was more safe?

He was so miserable that she was so miserable, that he had to do something. But what would make her feel better?

"Ramen?"

Kagome laughed. That was a good sign. Laughter was good, even if it didn't really reach her eyes. It was a start. She stood up and dusted off her skirt, letting the paper she was holding fall to the floor.

"Hungry, Inuyasha?" she asked as she headed for the kitchen. "Come on, I'll make you some food."

Well, he had intended to make HER the ramen, but if she wanted to make it… Maybe cooking it would take her mind off of the horrible writing assignment she had been given. He congratulated himself on his quick thinking as he followed her to the kitchen.

"Chicken or beef?"

"Whatever."

She filled the pot with water and turned up the heat. Inuyasha sat down in his spot at the table and watched as she went to the cabinet and took out matching bowls. She wasn't humming happily as she cooked like he had hoped. Worry was still etched on her face and she rubbed her neck. The assignment was still causing her distress. Oh how he wished that it was something that he could just slay for her. He knew it would make HIM feel better, that was for sure.

"You okay?" he asked.

She gave him a weary smile. "Sure." She ripped open the package and dumped the noodles in the boiling water. "Just a bit of a headache."

Inuyasha watched as she rubbed her neck again. Humans were so fragile. Kagome was so fragile. She needed his protection _all_ the time, even if she didn't know it. He must have been insane to even consider following Kikyo when she finally passed, leaving Kagome alone and defenseless. His only excuse was that he had thought it was the best decision for everyone, keeping Kagome safe from his dangerous world. But he hadn't known what her world was really like. He had thought that her world was safe. The horrors that go on in her world made him sick. The fear that one day it would defeat her was becoming overbearing. He couldn't stand the thought of Kagome defeated. Broken.

Every story on the news he saw he thought that it could be Kagome. Kagome hit. Kagome drowned. Kagome stabbed. Kagome shot. Kagome beaten. Kagome r… No. No! Not Kagome. He couldn't let it happen to Kagome. What was he thinking ever letting her come back to this era without him? How could he have taken such a risk with her life?

"Be careful," Kagome warned him as she set a bowl in front of him. He found it ironic that SHE was telling HIM to be careful when he wasn't the one in constant danger on both sides of the well. "It's still hot."

"Feh."

She grinned at him in a way that made his stomach do a little flip flop.

"Thanks for staying, Inuyasha. Though you must be bored silly. You sure you don't want to head back?"

Feh. As if he was going to leave her alone and defenseless when any stranger could break into her home steal all their possessions then viciously murder them in their sleep. Ain't gonna happen.

"I still haven't found my article yet, and I have to get this written tonight. I'll head back through the well after school tomorrow."

School? He thought back on some of the news stories. Wasn't school too dangerous for her to go to?

"I should go with you."

"I wish you could," She said as she stood up and took their empty bowls to the sink. "But you can't go out without a hat, and you can't wear a hat at school." She turned around and smiled at him. This time it was his heart that did a flip flop. "And they don't allow swords."

That would cause a problem. From what he heard, he'd need it. Oh well, he supposed he would just have to make do with skulking in the trees and rooftops to keep an eye on her. And to think that he had thought that P.E. was the worst part of school where they threw and hit balls at each other with nothing to protect themselves. And those flimsy "raquets" and "bats" and "gloves" were no protection at all. It was a shame that Kagome forbid him to demolish the place.

"Back to work," she sighed heavily as she wiped her hands on the dish cloth and tossed it by the sink.

"Don't."

Kagome looked at him curiously. It took him a moment to realize he had spoken out loud. Too late to call back the word, so he might as well go with it. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a stern look.

"Don't what?" she asked.

"Don't… You don't need school, Kagome. Don't do this to yourself."

Closing her eyes she rubbed her temples. "Haven't we talked about why I have to do this, Inuyasha? I have to get a good grade so I can pass the class so I can graduate. And I need to finish school so I can do something with my life."

"You ARE doing something with your life!" He glared at her.

She had the nerve to roll her eyes at him. "Something besides hunting for jewel shards, Inuyasha. That is hardly the type of thing to put on a resume."

"Resuwhat?"

"Something I need in order to get a job and take care of myself."

He cocked his head to the side. What was she talking about? Was she stupid?

"WHAT?"

Oops, guess he said that out loud. Never one to back out of a good verbal sparring with Kagome, Inuyasha straightened up and looked her straight in the eye.

"I said, are you stupid?"

"Inu_YASHA_!"

"I take care of you, you idiot. Why would you have to do that too?"

She was silent. Which in this case wasn't a good sign for the dog demon. Surely she hadn't changed her mind about staying with him forever. Okay, maybe she didn't exactly say the word 'forever'. But it was implied, which is practically the same thing. She couldn't go back on her word. He wouldn't let her!

He had to do it.

The constant worry that she was going to leave him was driving him slowly insane. Besides, what better way to keep her by his side forever than to go ahead and officially make her his mate, once he figured out how it was officially done. The useless flea should know. He HAD to be good for SOMETHING. So what if he promised her mother he would wait until she had finished school? What could Kagome's MOTHER do to him? She'd forgive him. Eventually.

He had to do it. There was no other choice. He cleared his throat and managed to look her in the eye again.

"…Kagome… I… uh…"

She shook her head. "Oh, Inuyasha. What happens when the jewel is completed?"

Well now, that wasn't at all what he expected. Was she wondering if he was going to wish to be human or demon? Did it matter to her after all?

"…" The question didn't come out. Why was it the things he didn't want to say out loud ended up being said, and the things he WANTS to say weren't able to find their stupid way out of his mouth?

"We don't really know what will happen when the jewel was put together. Would a wish use up the magic? Would that close the well? Would I ever be able to go back to the Feudal Era? Is there even a guarantee that it won't send me back here and never let me go back to you once it is completed and my task is done?" She wiped at her eyes. "What if when all this is over… I might be… I'll be alone… here…"

The thought was terrifying. He opened his mouth, unsure of what he was going to say. But his voice still wasn't working.

"…so I need to be prepared. I have to see that I have a future here… just in case…"

A clawed hand shot out and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her to him. He finally gave in to his desire to hold her. It wasn't done to comfort her, or even himself. It was a reflex. A part of his brain kept insisting that if he held her tight enough that no one, not even time or magic, could take her away from him.

"Gak!" she squeaked. "Can't… breathe…"

He loosed his grip, but didn't let her go. "Forget the jewel. No more hunting."

She burrowed her head into the front of his fire rat robe and made a humming sound that he felt all the way down to his soul. "We can't let Naraku keep them, Inuyasha. And we can't let the other demons that have them keep hurting people."

"Sure we can."

"Inuyasha!" she chided gently.

He rested his chin on the top of her head. Of course she was right. Right that moment he couldn't for the life of him figure out why, but he was pretty sure that she was right.

"I won't let you go."

"Good."

Inuyasha continued to hold her. He wasn't sure how long they stood there with their arms wrapped around each other, but he knew that it wasn't long enough. All too soon they heard the front door open and her younger brother loudly announce his arrival. By the time the kid came into the kitchen, Kagome was already back to her piles of Papers and had the News on. When Souta begged him to play with him, Kagome nodded at him. What he really wanted to do was watch Kagome some more, but the kid bouncing around the living room was a little distracting. He was as bad as Shippo!

By the time he was able to escape from the boy, Kagome and her mother were placing the Papers in the recycling box and the magic box was off.

"I found one," Kagome announced happily as she produced a slip of paper. "And it is about time."

He couldn't help the smirk. "That was my line."

Even the temptation of more Ramen didn't keep the dog demon from following Kagome up to her room. He sat on her comfortable bed and kept watch as she sat at her desk and began writing. She seemed a lot happier. Though he really couldn't see what she could possibly be happy about. How could she even smile when she knew there was the possibility that she might be stuck in this dangerous world without him to protect her? Maybe she was just happy that she finally found a story.

Dinner was called, but Kagome ignored it. Inuyasha went downstairs and brought their bowls upstairs. He polished off his bowl and half of hers before he was able to coax her into actually eating something. He could always raid the Refrigerator for more food before she went to sleep. Kagome wouldn't starve.

Both hand on the clock were pointing upwards when she finally complained of hunger.

"Then eat."

"I have to finish this. I'm so close!"

Inuyasha hopped up off the bed and snatched her notebook off of the desk. Naturally she screeched and lunged at him, but he was already making a break for the door. He half expected to hear a 'sit', but was glad to hear a giggle instead as he bolted for the stairs. He let her catch up to him at the kitchen door, pretending to look for the next place to run. He was a little surprised that she tried to tackle him though.

"Bad boy!" she admonished cheerfully.

After peeling Kagome off of him, he flung the notebook over his shoulder and went into the kitchen. He listened to make sure that she followed. She did. Good girl. Then he opened the door that led to the coldest part of the freezer and pulled out the frozen stuff she liked so much.

"Ice cream!"

Luckily there was an unopened bag of chips for him to eat. He wasn't too crazy about the frozen stuff. Besides, Kagome always looked like she was going to have a panic attack any time he was anywhere near chocolate.

They ate and she worked on her paper.

The carton of ice cream wasn't even half finished when Kagome fell asleep. Inuyasha sat and watched her for a few minutes. He couldn't imagine not having her in his life. The magic couldn't have given her to him just to take her away. He'd let her finish this school thing for her own peace of mind, but he wasn't going to let anything take her from him. Ever.

Gently he picked up his miko. She was still clutching her notebook, so he didn't have to worry about picking that up as well. As quietly as possible he took her back to her room. Setting her on the bed he pulled off her socks, and decided that was about as much as he was prepared to do to help her get ready for bed. Anything else would cause him some serious pain when she woke back up. He pried the notebook from her fingers and tucked the blankets around her.

Curious about what she had written, Inuyasha began to read.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

In a world where the headlines scream at you of war, murder, theft, and rape, it would seem that this world is doomed. It is disheartening to see so much pain and suffering and needless death. It is almost enough to make a person lose faith in humankind.

How can we walk into school each day knowing that one of our classmates might be bringing a weapon and kill us all while we working on a math problem? How can we go to the mall where women are abducted and assaulted? How can we let our little brothers and sisters play at the park when someone could snatch them at any moment? How can we stand trusting our own parents when so many of them are hurting their own children? How can we possibly even sleep through the night knowing that a criminal breaking into our home might make sure we never wake up again?

I'll tell you how.

Nine year old Kisa Saotome won the international spelling championship yesterday.

Nearly hidden by the grim news of death and destruction I found the story of Kisa. With not a single misspelling she won the competition against hundreds of other kids, most were even much older than her. She studied every night with parents who made a game out of helping her study. Her older brother helped her make up songs for the really hard ones and her friends turned some words into jump rope chants. Winning the competition gives her a scholarship for college, helping her secure her future.

And she does have a future.

It is easy to get lost, to feel overwhelmed by all the disturbing headlines. It is easy to forget that the world is not the same you read in the paper or see in the news. The world is filled with kind people, but acts of kindness does not sell papers.

The news does not report that last week my brother shared his lunch with a classmate who forgot hers. It does not report that a teenager found a dropped wallet and took it to the police station so they could find its owner. It does not report that someone found their true love, or the sacrifices and the compromises they might make so the other could be happy.

Yes, bad things do happen and we need to take precautions so that we are safe. But we can't forget that there are still things in the world to celebrate. There are still good things out there.

Even if you have to hunt through all the muck to find them.

Word Count: 434

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Inuyasha brushed Kagome's hair out of her eyes and smiled. "That's my girl."

After setting her notebook on her desk and making sure that she was tucked in, Inuyasha prowled the house to make sure everything was locked up tight and everyone were safe in their rooms. It wasn't great security, but it should do for the night. He wondered if Kagome would let him put bars on the windows. Maybe plant poisonous prickly plants around the perimeter of the place. Maybe some traps. Or a pit or two.

As he climbed the stairs back to Kagome's room he felt a burst of panic. Had he checked her windows yet? He bound up the rest of the stairs and burst into her room. The slamming of the door woke the miko.

"Inuyasha?"

"Go back to sleep, wench," he ordered as he checked the window.

The same window she always left unlocked so that he could come inside at night. His eyes opened wide and his heart started pounding. She was risking her LIFE so he could come in where it was warm!

"Stop leaving your window unlocked," he growled.

Rubbing her eyes she sat up. "Now what has your tail in a twist?"

"My what?"

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?"

"I don't have a tail!"

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?"

"Feh."

She yawned. "I can keep asking all night."

He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned at the carpet. "It isn't safe to leave it unlocked. Anyone could come in."

Inuyasha looked up when he heard her shuffling. She had scoot over to the far side of the bed and was patting the place beside her. Half afraid he was going to get 'sat' for being on the bed with her, and half afraid of messing up the chance to be close to her, the dog demon slowly made his way to the bed. Gingerly he sat on the edge. He felt a tug on a lock of his hair. Allowing Kagome to pull his head down to the pillow, Inuyasha couldn't remember a single thing he had been thinking about two seconds ago. Super hanyou hearing or not, he couldn't hear a thing beyond the beating of his heart.

Kagome turned on her side so they were staring at each other. "The news can be a little scary sometimes."

Oh yeah, now he remembered what he had been thinking about. "Your world is scary."

"The news doesn't report the every day stuff. Most people won't have to suffer through any of that. It is unlikely that any of that will happen to most."

"But it might."

She nodded. "Yes. It might. That is why it is important that I learn to take care of myself."

"Feh. School won't stop someone from killing you."

"No. School won't," she said while trying to smother a yawn. "Though there are classes in self defense that might." She reached up and stroked the fur on his ear. "I'll be safe. I've killed demons, remember."

Her eyelids fluttered, and with a sigh she began to drift asleep. Inuyasha continued to lay there watching her. He couldn't imagine a world without Kagome in it. Before she came along, he had been so certain that the world was only filled with pain and sorrow for one such as him. But, somehow she was able to sort through the muck surrounding his life and found something good.

Reaching out he touched a lock of her hair. It was only fair since she still has his twined in her fingers. She still had faith in humankind, whether or not they deserved it. Her heart was strong.

No one would ever defeat his Kagome.

And he would destroy anyone who tried.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Note:

Sorry it took so long to get another chapter out. Hope you guys liked it. Next time we have some more poetry!


	17. Acrostically Speaking

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Acrostically Speaking

Assignment # 17: 

Pick a word that is important to you and write an acrostic poem about it. The word must be at least three letters long. Though you must write a sentence that begins with each letter of the word you chose, the sentence can be any length and does not necessarily need to rhyme.

Was it too much to ask?

All he wanted to do was take a little nap while they had a little downtime between shard hunting and fighting demons. A few moments of uninterrupted peace. Alas, with this group of his, that wasn't very likely.

_Sensuous woman_

_Always on my mind_

_Nubile nymph of my dreams_

_Glorious goddess_

_Oh how I long for you Sango._

It wasn't the first poem that Miroku had composed for his lady love that afternoon. Frankly, Inuyasha was surprised that his lady love hadn't cracked his head open with as many times as he'd been bludgeoned in the last hour or so. At least this one wasn't as… descriptive… as some of the others. Thank heavens for small favors. Why couldn't they take all that gabbing someplace else so he could get a rest? Even a demon attack would be preferable to listening to Miroku spout off those sappy (and more often than not, perverted) poems to Sango. Doesn't he get tired of that topic?

"Oh? Well, I have a poem for you, Monk."

Inuyasha's ears perked up. Someone besides Miroku joining all this poetic nonsense? He cracked an eye open to glance down at his companions. Kagome looked up from her homework as well, and Shippo was watching the scene with glee. Sango's knuckles were turning white with as hard as she was griping her weapon. A muscle in her jaw twitched as she hissed out her poem through clenched teeth.

_Meandering hands in danger of being hacked off_

_Intent on driving me insane with the constant groping_

_Roaming eyes he is lucky do not get plucked out_

_Ogling every woman who comes his direction_

_Keep it up and he will be sorry_

_Unless he stops, he is dead._

"Very...um... descriptive." Inuyasha noticed that Kagome tried (unsuccessfully) not to wince. Soft hearted wench.

Of course, this was all her fault to begin with. If she hadn't brought up her newest homework assignment, they would all be taking naps or doing something productive instead of sitting around thinking up stupid poems that went with people's names. And most of them didn't even rhyme! Sure Kagome said they didn't HAVE to rhyme, but wasn't that the point of poems? It was too confusing when they changed the rules.

"My Sango has a poetic soul," admired Miroku with a smile, completely ignoring the threat. "And has graced my humble self with a poem."

Well, there was only one way to shut these people so that he could get in a little shut eye. And that was to join in.

"Oi, let me try," he said as he lightly dropped to the ground, landing in a crouch in front of Kagome. She was lying on her stomach looking at her paper with her legs kicking lazily in the air. They stopped moving when he spoke.

_Kind of a clumsy human_

_Always gotta save from demons_

_Gotta go rescue her again_

_Oh if not for that stupid rosary_

_My l..._

"That's enough, Inuyasha," growled Kagome.

"But I ain't done."

They'd fight. That's the way things went. Then everyone would give him the silent treatment, or the girls would head to the hot spring and ignore him for awhile (the kit would go with them, and he'd have to knock out the monk so he couldn't spy), and then he'd get five stinkin' minutes of peace and quiet.

"Yes you are."

"Ah," Miroku interrupted as Inuyasha opened his mouth to disagree with Kagome. "Perhaps if you should compose a more flattering poem about lady Kagome. Like this..."

The monk cleared his throat.

_Kiss me my sweet_

_Angel in my arms_

_Gift me with your touch_

_Oo_uch!

Inuyasha looked at Kagome, daring her to scold him for whacking the monk over the head. She looked away and pretended to study the notes she had been writing. He smirked. The desire to sleep, however, had disappeared. No way was he closing his eyes with the monk thinking thoughts of those kind anywhere NEAR Kagome. In fact, maybe he should break his hands or something just to make sure…

"Look, you two. Just leave me out of this. I have to write the poem for class. And since it is MY assignment it can't be about me. So drop it."

"You could write one about Kouga!"

Kagome groaned, dropping her head to the ground with a THUNK. "Shippo... please don't give him ideas."

But it was too late. Kouga was the perfect topic for a little poetry.

_Wimpy scrawny no good wolf_

_Only Kagome's pity keeps you alive_

_Life will end shortly if you don't keep your paws off her._

_Fu…_

"InuYASHA!" Inuyasha smirked at Kagome's cry. Maybe this acrostic poem stuff wasn't that bad after all. He got to rile up Kagome and insult the wolf all at once. However, since he didn't want to be sat, he might have to modify a few choice words.

"...uh… _Funky smelling coward."_ He cocked his head to the side. "Too short. Not nearly long enough."

"Try WOLF PRINCE!"

"Shippo! Shush." But Kagome was too late, the dog demon was already thinking. He had plenty of words that would go with that. But still… not enough letters to be as insulting as the stinkin' wolf deserved.

"Nah, but maybe STUPID SCRAWNY WOLF."

"WOLF S…"

"MIROKU!" Sango slapped a hand over the monk's mouth. "Do you WANT Kagome to kill you? Please do not help." She yanked her hand away from his face when he nuzzled into her palm.

"Is there something else you would rather I do?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and Kagome giggled. It was nice to hear her laugh. Too many of these assignments seemed to make her cry. It was too painful to bear watching, and he was always sorely tempted to destroy the well so she wouldn't have to go back. But seeing her like this… it did something funny to his heart. Her eyes sparkled and her face lit up, and it made him feel light. It was strange how much her mood affected his. It made sense, he supposed. Since her life was connected to his.

"Write one about me!" begged Shippo.

Kagome sat up and put her hand over his mouth before he could say a thing. Inuyasha didn't mind, in fact, he rather enjoyed it. But he had to at least LOOK disgruntled, so he scowled at her silencing him. She had to move closer so she could keep his mouth covered, and he didn't mind that either. His heart thundered in his chest as his lips touched her skin.

"Okay, Shippo." She thought a moment, then began to speak.

_Son of my heart_

_Helps fill my life with joy_

_Ingenious little kit_

_Please never forget_

_Please always remember_

_Oh how much you mean to me_

Naturally the fox kit began to bawl. He threw himself on Kagome, unfortunately making her move her hand from his mouth so she could hold him. Sango was smiling at Kagome, and Miroku was smiling at Sango. Then Shippo looked over at him and grinned evilly. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed in suspicion. That particular look spelled nothing but trouble.

"Write one for Inuyasha?" he asked, batting his big green eyes. "You could write about how he always hits me on the head when I don't deserve it. Or how he never wants to let you go home. Or how he hogs all the food! Write one about Inuyasha!"

Oh how he wanted pound the kid. Too bad the coward was hiding under the protection of Kagome. It was the only place the runt was safe.

What would Kagome write if she wrote one about him? Would it mean… like the one he was writing about her… and the one Shippo was describing? Would she write that he was Inconsiderate? Negative? Uncaring? Yelling? Angry? Selfish? Heartless? Aggravating? It took only seconds for him to come up with words to go with his name. Think of how easy it would be for Kagome!

"Yes," agreed a grinning monk, "Please write one about Inuyasha. I would be most interested in hearing it."

"As would I," smiled the slayer.

They were all against him! Sometimes he really wished that he never picked those three up. It was too late to get rid of them now. Kagome was already attached to them.

Now, how to distract them… Perhaps he should steal Kagome's homework or maybe go ahead and bop the trouble making kit over the head after all. He didn't want to hear the poem. He didn't want to hear what she thought about him. Well, he did, and he didn't. It was confusing. And a little scary.

"Inuyasha, huh?"

He tried really hard not to squirm as she studied him. It was too uncomfortable to stand still, so he huffed out a "Feh" and jumped back up into the tree. This time he went higher. It wasn't far enough to leave her unprotected, but it was far enough so that he could pretend that he couldn't hear her. And he wouldn't have to see her eyes when she tore him apart with her words.

She cleared her throat, then she set Shippo down. Inuyasha watched her from his perch. Even from where he sat he could see her smile. It wasn't an evil smirk, it was a mischievous grin. He wasn't certain that was necessarily a good thing. She put her hands behind her back and rocked back on her heels for a moment, obviously trying to compose her poem in her head. Inuyasha wondered if it was too late to pick a fight with her so she would leave before she started. He would follow her after the others looked the other way. Maybe that would be for the best.

Just as he hopped down a branch to begin a fight (he thought perhaps he would insult her cooking this time), she began to speak. Her movements were what startled him. Kagome wasn't standing still reciting a poem. She was acting it out dramatically. Her voice changing pitch as she went, making it seem as if she was telling an exciting story.

_Instantly there when danger rears its ugly head_

_Never failing to slay the enemy_

_Unstoppable in battle_

_You can trust him with your life_

_Ask not for mercy monsters, demons or humans you may be_

_Slayer of those who stand in our way_

_Heart and soul he fights_

_Always our hero_

He knew his cheeks were stained pink, so he kept his head turned. But he couldn't keep the smile off of his face. Kagome thought of him as her hero.

"Cooool!" Shippo was impressed with Kagome's story, until he realized that it was all about Inuyasha. He couldn't deny her words. But he could still complain. "But you didn't say what an idiot he is!"

"Is that the poem you are going to use?" Sango asked, amused that the cranky fox kit had gone over to sit with Kirara to complain about the unfairness of it all.

Inuyasha glanced down. Wondering if she really would use it for her homework assignment. The thought made his heart speed up and his chest expand. He was glad he was so far up or he knew he'd be teased. Ah, that was one of the best things about spending time in the tree.

"Oh no," Kagome said, bending down to pick up her notebook. "That's not the one I'm using." Inuyasha deflated. "It would be kind of difficult explaining why I chose the word 'INUYASHA'. It isn't exactly a common name. So, I chose the word 'FRIENDS' to use instead."

Was she ashamed of him?

"May we hear it?" Miroku asked pleasantly.

_Family of mine_

_Rough and tumble they may be_

_Important to every part of my life_

_Entertaining even when they don't try to be_

_Need them with me always_

_Dear to my heart_

_Stay with me forever_

"I like that," Sango said as she turned her head and covertly wiped at a stray tear.

Inuyasha liked it too, but he was still plagued by doubts that Kagome was ashamed of him. It wouldn't be the first time someone was ashamed to be with him. But it somehow hurt more thinking that SHE was shamed.

A sound at the base of the tree caught his attention.

Kagome was climbing his tree.

Quickly he dropped down and scooped her up. He took her back up to the branch he had been sitting on to spy… uh… keep an eye on them. She didn't move away from him, in fact, she seemed to move a little closer. Briefly he wondered if she was cold and was seeking heat. But the day was too nice, so… his cheeks turned pink again as he thought of other possible reasons she may be sitting so close to him. It was hard to stay irritated when she was so close that her scent blocked all others, and the feel of her erased every other sensation.

"What did you think?"

"Keh." Think? About what? He tried to clear his head and focus on what he was irritated about. But he couldn't outright ask her if she was ashamed of him could he? Or could he? Would he be able to handle the answer?

Kagome stared at him for a moment, then brushed a stray hair back behind her ear. He really wished she wouldn't do that when he was trying to be angry. It was very distracting. She looked away at the clouds in the direction of the well. Probably plotting her next escape back to her time.

"I liked the one I wrote about you," she said. Inuyasha blinked, then sighed in relief. He wouldn't have to be the one to bring it up after all. "I don't like to talk about you much at school or to my friends," she admitted.

His stomach clenched and he had to turn away from her. It hurt.

She continued, even though she was breaking his heart. "I'm always worried that they will find out about you." He felt sick. He had only been fooling himself after all. She really did care that he was only a hanyou.

"If they caught one glimpse of your ears, or found out that you have demon blood, they would be sure to try and take you." She shivered, and he turned back to look at her, his brain not quite grasping what she was telling him. "What if they tried to experiment on you? Or put you in a cage for people to gawk at? Or kill you! I couldn't take it if something like that happened to you."

She… was trying to… protect him? Protect HIM?

His hands twitched, and he just knew he was going to do something stupid. Something that he couldn't take back. His voice was a little hoarse when he tried to speak, so he tried again.

"We… uh… should get going before it gets dark."

Quickly he grabbed her and dropped out of the tree. He set her down gently and prepared to bolt to the nearest cold lake to calm himself down. But before he could take off she leaned in close and whispered in a purr.

"Or maybe I just don't like to share."

Inuyasha gulped loudly and watched as Kagome wandered away to help the others finish getting ready so they could continue their journey. She turned to smile at him. He began composing his own acrostic poem for her.

Funny how it sounded an awful lot like the one Miroku had been writing for her….

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Note:

Thanks to YukiNoMiko for the suggestion of an acrostic poem. I know it's been awhile since the suggestions, but it has been on my To Do list.

I hadn't given up on this series. I still have plenty more to do, so it won't be ending any time soon. I have a couple more chapters at least briefly outlined.


	18. Silverlocks and the Three Slayers

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Silverlocks and the Three Slayers

Assignment # 18: 

It is story time, everyone. Your job is to write us a fairytale or a fable. It must be at 500-750 words long. You may choose familiar stories and rewrite them, or you may come up with something unique. If you choose to rewrite a fairytale, then make sure that you do more than simply change names, dates, and places. You must recreate it entirely. Plagiarism will get you a zero and an additional five page paper on why plagiarism is theft.

I would also like you to write a short explanation on the differences between a fairytale and a fable.

"Whatcha doing, Kagome?"

"I'm working on my next assignment, Shippo."

"What's it about?"

"I have to write my own fairy tale or fable for class."

"Like the ones that start with 'Once Upon a Time'?"

"Yes." Kagome looked up, then narrowed her eyes. "Hey! Isn't that the last box of pocky?"

"C'ya later Kagome!"

Inuyasha watched as Shippo bolted from the hut, calling for Kirara to join him in a game of hide and seek. Though likely it was more like a "hide until she forgets she's made at me" game. It was worth _accidentally_ letting that box of pocky poke out of the backpack when he was hunting for those dried, salty potato crispy things earlier. He would have preferred the kit be punished, but having a few kitsune free hours was reward enough.

Covering his nose with his sleeve, Inuyasha went about getting rid of the worst of the dust and spider webs. They were annoying his nose. Cleaning was high on his list of things he hated, but the monk was off finding firewood that wasn't too damp to use, and Sango was off making sure that the monk was actually off finding firewood. Tsk. She sure didn't trust him, not that he could blame her. Kagome had done a little (very little) dusting before plopping down and pulling out her homework. So unless he wanted to sleep outside so he wouldn't sneeze all night long, Inuyasha was forced to do a little housekeeping. He was just glad no one was around to see it.

"A fairy tale or a fable?" Inuyasha asked before he knew he had opened his mouth. His only excuse was that the sound of the pen scratching on the paper was driving him crazy. Every since they found the abandoned hut, Kagome had been writing.

"Hmm?" The pen finally stopped, and Kagome looked up. "Yeah. Either one."

"Aren't they the same thing?"

She yawned and stretched. Then she shivered from the chill in the air. "Not quite. A fable usually tries to teach a moral or a lesson. Sometimes it is a warning. Animals act and speak just like people in them. They were often passed down by word of mouth instead of being written down. Now, fairytales are generally written for children and have magical and mythical creatures in time, like fairies or goblins or giants. Though I think that fairytales were not originally written for children. Some of them are very scary. Some of them have death and bloodshed in them."

Now THAT got his attention. "Oh yeah?"

"Sure. In Snow White she gets strangled with ribbons, a poisoned comb jabbed in her head, suffocated by corset strings tied too tight, then poisoned by an apple."

"Must've been a bad day."

Kagome snickered, lightening Inuyasha's heart. HE made her laugh.

"Well, more like she was not the brightest crayon in the box. I mean, after the first murder attempt you'd think that she would have learned her lesson about talking to strangers. After the third attempt, well, you gotta question the girl's sanity." Her eyes brightened and she leaned closer. "In Cinderella, her wicked sisters tried to trick the prince into believing they fit the shoe, so one cut off her toes to fit into the shoe and the other cut off her heel."

"They thought fitting into a stupid shoe would trick the prince?"

"Yeah, well, he wasn't too bright either. After all, he fell for it. Both times."

"So," Inuyasha asked, "You're writing a story about a stupid prince?"

She grinned at him, causing him to sit next to her as he dropped his outer kimono over her head to keep her warm. That particular smile was just as powerful as her 'sit' command at making him powerless. It seemed to rearrange his insides and was very disorienting. She scooted a little closer to show him the story she was working on, but it was difficult focusing on the words with her so close. A primitive part of him was too busy howling in triumph at her snuggling into his haori, covering her in his own scent. He wondered if he was blushing, she sure was. Though likely for different reasons since she was looking at her story and he was inhaling her scent mixed with his into his lungs, reminding himself sternly that he wasn't Miroku. He COULD control himself.

Barely.

"Do you want to hear it?"

She looked up at him with hopeful eyes. How could he say no to those eyes? He could deny her nothing.

"Eh, whatever."

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Silverlocks and the Three Slayers

Once upon a time there was a demon lord and an angel. They met by chance in the realm that was neither heaven nor the underworld. They met on earth. He fell in love with her goodness and gentleness; she fell in love with his strength and courage. Both left behind their past and decided to make their home on earth, together. They loved each other dearly, and adored their precious new son with hair of silver and eyes of gold.

But fate was not kind, and the underworld called back their demon lord just as the heavens brought the angel home. But their child did not belong in the underworld, and was not yet ready for heaven, so he remained on earth.

His name was Silverlocks.

The people feared Silverlocks because of his unusual hair and eyes. They called him a demon, though he was half angel as well. As Silverlocks grew up, he learned to stay away from villages and people, for they could be cruel.

One day, deep in the woods, he came upon an empty hut. It was cold and wet outside, and the hut looked warm. He would have passed it by if he hadn't caught the smell of something wonderful coming from inside. His stomach rumbled. Tired and hungry, Silverlocks decided to have a closer look.

He looked around with his golden eyes, but he saw no sign of humans. He listened with his demon ears, but he heard no sound besides those of the woods. He sniffed the air, but could only smell that mouthwatering smell that was coming from inside the hut.

After looking around one more time, Silverlocks went inside.

On the table there were three bowls. The smell was coming from there. He took a taste from the biggest bowl.

"YOW!" It was too hot. Way too spicy! His tongue burned!

Next he tried the medium sized bowl.

"Bleah." But it was too cold. Even as hungry as he was, it wasn't even remotely appetizing. Yuck.

Then he tried the third bowl.

"SLURP!" It was just right. In fact, it was so good that he not only ate all the noodles, but he also tipped the bowl and slurped down all the juice. He looked around the neat kitchen with the stacks of clean bowls and found the rest of the food simmering on the stove. He ate that too.

With a full belly he decided to sit down. After all, the humans had still yet to come back. He noticed that there were three chairs.

He sat in the largest chair.

"Brrr." It was made of stone and was cold and uncomfortable. The trees often slept in were more comfortable than that!

He sat in the medium sized chair.

"Umph!" It was made out of a squishy material that seemed to be filled with beans! It was difficult to find a comfortable way to sit.

He sat in the smallest chair.

"Now that's more like it." The chair was padded and had wheels. After a moments rest he tested the wheels. He amused himself spinning the chair, until it tipped over and broke.

Oh well. The spinning made him dizzy and even sleepier than before. So he decided to go to the back room in hopes of finding a bed, forgetting to check for humans.

The first bed was too hard, and the bedding was too scratchy. The second bed was far too soft; it felt like he was going to smother. Now the third bed… the third bed was very comfortable. Silverlocks fell fast asleep.

While Silverlocks was sleeping, the inhabitants of the hut came back home from their walk. They had heard a rumor of a demon lurking in their woods, but did not find it. They were suspicious when they saw that their door was not closed. Each prepared their weapons, just in case. Slowly they entered the hut, a small fire cat demon trailing behind. The oldest of the group noticed right away that something was wrong. Someone had touched his ramen!

"Someone has been eating my ramen!" The monk cried.

The demon exterminator looked at her bowl. "Someone has been eating my ramen, too!"

The youngest of them cried, "Someone has been eating my ramen! And they ate it all up! Every single drop! And I didn't even get to taste it!"

The monk assured the child that there would be more ramen later, after they found the intruder. The slayer suggested they sit down and discuss their strategy. That was when they noticed the chairs.

"Someone has been sitting in my chair!" The monk frowned.

"Someone has been sitting in MY chair!" growled the exterminator.

"Someone has been sitting in my chair! And BROKE it!" cried the third. "Broke it into pieces! Wheels and fabric everywhere! What, was it attacked by wolves?"

The exterminator assured the child that the chair would be fixed (or replaced), and that the vandal would be dealt with. She then suggested they search the rest of the hut. So they went into the back room.

"Someone has been sleeping in my bed." The monk looked sorrowfully over at the exterminator. "Too bad it wasn't…"

"Someone has been sleeping in my bed," interrupted the exterminator before she was forced to smack the monk.

"STRANGER DANGER!" screamed the youngest. "STRANGER! Get him!"

Silverlocks woke up and jumped to his feet. He was surrounded! The woman tried to clobber him while the monk began chanting and pulling out sutras. The youngest began yelling "FOXFIRE" at him. There was no room to maneuver in the small room, so he leapt over them and out into the main room. Just as he was about to make a break for it, another slayer walked into the house.

"Whoa!" she said as she was nearly run over.

Silverlocks sensed no malice, so he ducked behind her. She worked well as a shield as she spread her arms out and stopped her friends from attacking.

"What's going on?"

They told her of the eaten meals and the broken furniture. The youngest demanded retribution. Silverlocks said nothing as they listed his transgressions. The miko turned to him and smiled.

"Are you still hungry?"

He nodded. She took him inside and made him and the others more of the delicious smelling ramen.

"Are you still tired?"

"Feh," he said. "I don't need your pity."

The miko smiled. "I won't give you pity, but I will give you something else. How about friendship?"

"I ate your food."

She shrugged. "You were hungry. And I can always make more."

"I broke your chair."

"Did you do it on purpose?" He shook his head, then she shrugged again. "Then it can be fixed."

"I broke into your house, wench! I'm half demon!"

"So?" said the youngest as he jumped into the miko's arms. "I'm a full demon, big deal. So is she." He pointed to the fire cat.

"You shouldn't be so nice to me!" he yelled at her.

But the miko ignored his outburst and began planning how they could add on some additional space to their hut. She asked what he wanted his chair made out of, and what kind of bed he preferred. The youngest, he found out, preferred sitting in her lap and sleeping in her bed, which explained why there were only three.

Slowly Silverlocks realized that he had found a home. And over time, he realized that it was a home filled with love.

The angel and the demon would look at him on earth, and remember that as long as they had him, their love survived. And as their child had children of his own, they realized that their love would continue to grow. And grow.

And grow.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

She was blushing as she finished the story, and couldn't quite meet his eyes.

"Well?" she asked.

He cleared his throat. "Did… did they live happily ever after?"

She nodded. "Of course they did."

He looked at her paper pointedly, and she realized she forgot to write the phrase. Quickly she wrote down the words. As she was finishing the story, the others came into view. It was obvious that they had been listening from the bushes. Even if their scents hadn't given them away, their guilty looks sure would have.

Slumping down in the corner, arms around his sword, he watched as his companions chattered on about something stupid and began the preparations for sleep.

It didn't take much to figure out what Kagome was trying to say with the story. That afternoon they had been turned away from two villages. Villages that would have let Kagome, Miroku, and Sango stay, as long as they left the demons deep in the woods. Miroku had looked longingly at the warmth of the village, then tried to reason with the chief. He explained that the three demons were not dangerous, that they were protectors. But the villagers would not be swayed.

If it wasn't for how shocked and hurt Kagome looked at the chief's words, Inuyasha would not have given the incident a second thought. He was used to it. In fact, if Kagome or one of the other humans wasn't with him, even the people in Kaede's village were still wary of him.

What bothered him was that Kagome was hurt. But she was hurting for HIM. And that just wasn't right. He would have argued over the stupidity of it, but she was already fast asleep. Silently he moved closer to tug her blanket up under her chin, then he tucked a stray lock of hair away from her face. The movement eased the crease of worry marring her forehead.

He smiled warmly at her. Quickly he looked around to see if anyone was spying. When he realized no was had seen, he let out a sigh of relief.

"You'll always have a home with me, too," he whispered to his sleeping miko.

He watched her as she slept, guarding his own happily ever after.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Notes:

Thanks to Saxifrage, Golden-Eyes-Inuyasha-girl, and Bedard, for the suggestions of writing a fairytale or a fable. If I missed anyone who suggested it as well, I'm very sorry.

This collection of creative writing ventures is not through yet. My ultimate goal is to hit thirty chapters. That is probably the most logical of what a teacher might actually assign. The next chapter is in the planning stages, so hopefully it won't be tooooo long 'til it comes out.

Thanks for reading!


	19. Diamante

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Diamante

Assignment # 19: 

Write a diamante poem. This is a seven lined contrast poem. The first line is the noun, or subject. Use two adjectives for the next line. Line three consists of three words that end in –ing. For line four write four words about the subject. Line five is three words that end in –ing. Line six is two adjectives. And line three will be a synonym or antonym for the subject. You can write it about a person, place, or thing.

"Sun and Moon," suggested Sango.

"Fast and Slow," chimed in Shippo.

"Man and Woman. OUCH! What? It is a valid contrast." Miroku rubbed the bump on his head.

"Breakfast and Dinner." Inuyasha thought for a moment. "Does it still count if we have Ramen for both? Probably not. Feh. Stupid school." He paused before giving a different suggestion. "Ramen and Chips."

"But pocky is better!"

"The fizzy drink in a can is good, too," added Miroku.

"I like the treats that Kagome makes herself," Sango said loyally, smiling at her friend. "Especially the ones with chocolate."

"Feh. Ramen is better."

Kagome shook her head as her friends argued over which food from the future was the best. The conversation regarding the poem she had to write was slowly deteriorating. Perhaps she should have waited to talk about her assignment until AFTER they stopped and ate.

"Love and Hate."

Kagome stopped walking. Sango's suggestion had merit. Weren't the two emotions as similar as they were different? Hmm… but did she really want to try to explore such a deep topic? Talk about difficult! And would she be able to write it without everyone guessing her feelings for the dog demon currently looking at her in concern?

"Oi. What's wrong, wench?"

Grrrr… Maybe it wouldn't be so difficult after all. He really needed to start using her name, or pick out a nickname less likely to get himself 'sat'. How could someone she loved so much make her so darn mad? Heck, she could use the word 'mad' as either the word for 'crazy' or 'angry'! Or was this one of those complicated things where if she didn't love him so much he wouldn't make her so insane? She rubbed her throbbing temples. These assignments were making her think waaaaay too much.

"Just thinking about love." His eyes widened at her response. "And hate." His ears twitched nervously, even though his arms were folded nonchalantly. "I'm wondering if I could possibly do it justice in just seven lines."

"But, Kagome," Shippo said as he hopped up onto her shoulder, "Hate isn't anything at all like love."

The miko began walking again, more out something to do while talking so she wouldn't look at Inuyasha rather than a desire to keep wandering somewhat aimlessly. Besides, Miroku and Sango were waiting just up ahead. She tried to think of the best way to explain the two emotions to Shippo. Plus she had to figure out just how to describe them for her poem.

"Well, love and hate are both powerful emotions," Kagome explained to the kitsune. "And they are things that can't be seen, but felt."

"They both cause you to say very stupid things," Sango said. Miroku coughed and Kagome grinned. Inuyasha's response was a huffed out 'feh'.

"But… love is good and hate is bad… right?"

"Well… not necessarily, Shippo. You can love to hurt things, and that is bad. You can hate to hurt someone's feelings, and that's good. Right?" Kagome wished she was better at explaining things. Like her mother. Did giving sage advice come with age or with motherhood? Visions of silver-haired children made her cheeks heat up.

"Both give you the desire to act," Miroku added cheerfully. He stepped out of Sango's reach before adding more seriously, "After all, are we not all on this quest because of both love AND hate?"

There was a moment when the silence was only broken by the soft plodding of footsteps. Sango broke the silence first.

"I am on this quest for both love and hate. Love of my family. Hate for the monster who took them away from me."

"I, too, am on the quest for love and hate. Love for the family I wish to one day have. And hate for the one who took my loved ones from me, and cursed me to a fate without…" He looked down at his sealed hand sadly, then longingly at Sango. His gaze drifted from her blushing face to her belly, then he focused on the road once more.

"Not me," said Shippo. "I'm here solely for revenge!"

"Keh," scoffed the dog demon rudely. "You can't tell me you'd still be here if it wasn't for Kagome."

Shippo looked startled for a moment. "Oh yeah." He grinned at her, causing her to smile back. She was glad that the solemn spell that seemed to have fallen over them had lifted. "I'm here 'cuz I looooove Kagome!" He hugged the miko, smirking at Inuyasha as he snuggled. "Yup. I just love Kagome. And you love me too, don't you, Kagome?"

"Of course I love you, Shippo."

"I love Kagome and Kagome loves me."

Kagome glared at Inuyasha when he growled at the kit. She didn't say anything though. Inuyasha didn't mention why he was on the quest. But that was easy enough. He was there to avenge Kikyo and to claim the Shikon jewel once the shards were all found. He was there for the love of Kikyo and the hate for Naraku for taking her from him. Kagome sighed as she hugged Shippo to her for comfort. Her reason for being on the quest? Originally it was because of guilt, because she had broken the jewel. But now… now she was on the quest for love alone. Her love for Shippo and Sango and Miroku and Kirara. And most of all Inuyasha.

"The… uh… the poem is seven lines," Kagome said in an effort to make sure that Inuyasha didn't fill the gap in conversation with why he was on the quest. Just because everyone knew the reason why didn't mean that she wanted it confirmed verbally. "The first and last lines will be 'love' and 'hate', so that's two lines down already." She paused long enough to as Shippo to get her notebook from her pack. She could write and walk at the same time, she was multi-talented that way.

"Here you go, Kagome."

"Thanks! Ok, so we need two adjectives to describe love." She gave Miroku a pointed stare, "And it has to be clean."

"An adjective?"

"It's a word that is descriptive. Like… hmmm… like 'tricky' is an adjective for 'tricky fox demon'. Get it?"

"Yeah! How about warm?"

"Sweet. Pure. Affectionate."

Kagome smiled as she wrote, "Those are great, Sango. Yours were good too, Shippo."

"Tender. "

Kagome and Sango looked at Miroku in surprise. Not only was his suggestion clean, but very sweet as well. She wasn't sure if it was her or the demon slayer who made the soft gasp. Probably Sango by the looks of her softening eyes.

"Good one," said Sango.

"Stupid."

It took all of Kagome's will power to not throw her pencil at the dog demon. "Love is not stupid."

"Hey! Sango's the one that said love makes you say stupid things. It makes you do stupid things, too."

Well, there was no arguing with that. School girl ditching school for weeks at a time to go fight demons AND sticking with a guy who is in love with another (albeit dead) girl? Yeah… love really could make a person do stupid things.

"Passionate."

Okay, that was more of the Miroku-esque answer they were expecting.

"Yeah…" Kagome made a humming sound as she wrote it down. "Though that could be used for 'hate' as well."

"Both are intense emotions," Sango said, "And both are infuriating."

Miroku stopped in his tracks so fast that Kagome nearly ran into him. His hand dropped back to his side before he could complete the groping motion. Then his face broke out in a smile that nearly blinded them all.

"You love me." The words were soft.

Kagome, Inuyasha, and Shippo froze in place. They waited for Sango's reaction. Then Inuyasha slowly reached forward and pulled Kagome backwards until she was sheltered half behind him. Shippo quietly made his way underneath Kagome's hair, peeking out to see the explosion. They held their breath as Sango's hand flexed on her weapon. Was this it? The declaration of love they had all been waiting for? Kagome leaned in to Inuyasha to get a closer look… without leaving his protection.

"I didn't mean ME, you idiot. I meant THEM."

And just that quickly all attention was turned on Kagome and Inuyasha. For a heartbeat they stood there in shock. Then they jumped away from each other like they had been electrocuted.

"WHAT?"

With a few sputtered curses, Inuyasha quickly made his escape. The coward. He gave some lame reason like scouting for demons. Shippo laughed merrily and scampered up to Kirara to discuss idiots. Miroku, looking somewhat disappointed, continued to walk beside Sango. Though this time his hands did not stray. However, Kagome did not miss the gentle looks she sent the monk's way.

Love was tender and affectionate. Infuriating… well, yes. That was true. Life would be so much easier if she didn't love him so much. She smiled to herself, but it was also liberating, once she had admitted it to herself. Allowing herself to love him seemed to have opened her heart, making her emotions that much more powerful.

Slowing her steps, Kagome allowed herself to fall farther behind. Sango and Miroku needed a little privacy as they continued to discuss love and hate. It wasn't a conversation meant for her. Traveling in a group made privacy difficult, so she did what she could. Shippo had grown bored of the conversation and had talked the fire cat into joining him in a game.

There was one more thing Kagome could do to give them more privacy, and that was to work on her homework. It at least made it seem like they were more alone if she was busy. She wrote down all the words for 'love' and 'hate' and marked the words that seemed like they would work for both. Then she started assembling them.

Love

tender affectionate

cuddling liberating infuriating

intense powerful passionate desire

disliking empowering unwilling

averse hostile

Hate

"That your poem?"

"Eeeeep!" Kagome stumbled, a clawed hand reached out and snagged her by the collar of her shirt before she could hit the ground.

"What is your problem, wench?"

"I thought you were off scouting."

He shrugged, then crossed his arms and looked disinterestedly away. "No trace of demons." He sounded disappointed.

"Yes, it's my poem."

He looked at it again. "How is 'hate' empowering? Shouldn't that be under 'love' instead?"

Kagome looked at her poem. "Well… it could go there too, I suppose. But I put it closer to 'hate' because… well… I was thinking of how when someone is filled with hate they suddenly feel like they can destroy anything. Like they have that right."

"Like Naraku."

_Sure,_ thought Kagome, _or Kikyo. Her desire to take you with her when she finally passes on… it isn't right. _She thought the words, but she didn't say them. That didn't mean that the hanyou couldn't figure out what she was thinking. His eyes were sad.

"Unwilling was one of those words too, huh?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I mean, who would willingly hate? I don't think people are born hating, I think it is something they learn. Usually because of something they are taught or if something happens to them to make them hate. Look at…" She bit her lip to keep from saying Kikyo's name.

"You never knew Kikyo when she was alive," Inuyasha said as he walked a step ahead of Kagome. "She was a kind woman. Giving. Loving. She was a miko, trapped into a life she didn't want. The Kikyo you know, she… it… is only…" He stopped walking and looked down into Kagome's eyes. "I _know_ that it is a clay body that holds only a part of her soul. A part of your soul. It has her face, and it carries a trace of her scent, but I know what it really is."

"Inuyasha…"

"This promise that everyone keeps saying that I made, that Kikyo seems to think I made, it isn't what you think. I was under a spell when I said it, Kagome. A spell! And okay, one time, back when we hadn't known each other very long, one time I may have said something to Kaede about following Kikyo when she passed on. But it wasn't a promise or anything! I was just… lonely. And confused. And you were gone. Keh." His head snapped off to the side. "So forget about any stupid promises you _think_ I made."

"Oh Inuyasha…"

"And what's this part about cuddling? How stupid is that?"

"What? STUPID? Cuddling is NOT stupid!"

"Stoooopid!"

"INUYASHA!"

"Stoooooopid!"

The hanyou took off running, and Kagome chased after him. Her heart light. She wished she had the words to describe the utter exhilaration she felt as she ran. She wanted to laugh. To scream. To shout to the world.

_Inuyasha was not going with Kikyo!_

She thanked her teacher for the assignment, dropped her bag and papers, and ran.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Notes: Sorry it has been so long since an update. The accident I was in had me down and out for way too long. Then of course my hard drive crashes, too. So I've been without a computer. Yeah yeah, sounds like a bunch of excuses. But they are true excuses!

I have not forgotten this story. In fact, I have several other chapters loosely sketched out.


	20. Tag Team Tales

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Tag Team Tales

Assignment # 20: 

You and your partner will write a Tag Team Tale. One person will begin it, the next person will write a section, and so forth. A partner will be assigned. 

"No."

"Inuyasha..."

"No."

"Be reasonable."

"NO!"

"I have to. It's for school."

Inuyasha glared at Kagome. He had heard those girls earlier. He had even covertly gleaned information from Kagome's mother and brother. He was no idiot! He knew what was really going on! He narrowed his eyes and glared harder. No way. No no no no NO! Ain't gonna happen.

"I'll make you some ramen."

"Feh." As if he could be bought off with some noodles.

Some delicious... mouth watering... tender... NO! No no no no NO! No way! He berated himself for his momentary weakness. Hopefully Kagome didn't notice the slight drooling. He stomped past her and turned his head, checking for any moisture around the mouth, before spinning around and facing the angry young miko. He pointed at her in accusation. How DARE she!!!

"You're going on a date!"

"WHAAAAT?"

He was so angry his hands were actually shaking. He was no fool. He knew what dates were. Dates were where you go out with a person, looking to see if they would make an acceptable mate. It was what you did before you decide if you would allow that person to court you, or if you wanted to court them. Then you decide if that's the person you wanted to spend the rest of your life with, and you make the promise to marry them by becoming engaged. Then you get married. And make a home together. And live together! And have pups together!

His breaths were coming in short pants and he clenched and unclenched his fists. He didn't understand. Why was she doing this to him? She promised that she would be by HIS side! HIS! It was a promise, like being engaged! What was the matter with her? How could she do this to him???

"What do you mean I'm going on a date?"

"I. Heard. Them." He ground out the words somehow. But it was difficult to talk and hold off his demon blood from taking over. He could feel his claws lengthening and his eyes began to burn.

"Them?" She looked around. "What are you talking about?" She looked back at him, looking baffled.

"They." huff. "Said you." huff. "Are on." huff. "Study." The growl ripped from his throat, startling the young miko. "Date."

Kagome's eyes widened. Then she searched the school yard for her three big mouthed friends. They gave her a jaunty wave and yelled out well wishes for the best of luck with Hojo. Inuyasha saw her cringe before turning her eyes back to him. There was a flicker of emotions across her face. Anger. Embarrassment. Anger. Then humor. No trace of guilt or remorse. He narrowed his eyes. He'd see just how much she was interested in the weak boy after he had him screaming like a little girl for mercy.

"Oh, Inuyasha," she said with an entirely inappropriate amount of laughter in her voice. "A study date isn't a DATE date."

Wha?

"A study date is when two schoolmates..." she looked startled as his growling increased in volume ten fold. "... that's a term used for people who go to school together. Everyone in this school is technically my schoolmate. You know, like... like littermates." She rolled her eyes at him as he continued to glare, but at least the growling subsided.

She sighed at him, but a smile tugged at her lips.

"A study date is when two schoolmates get together to study a subject for class. I've been assigned a study partner for this section of my homework. We have to write a story together."

Inuyasha relaxed a little. But he still wasn't happy. "Why him? Someone else could help you. I helped you write that poem, remember?"

Kagome shrugged. "The teacher chose him. I didn't have any choice. He was forced upon me."

His eyes hardened. They were forcing things on Kagome? His hand went to his sword as he took a step towards the hated brick building. Only Kagome's soft hand on his kept him from going any farther. He looked down at it as it clutched his wrist. So small. So delicate. So very... breakable. This weak boy couldn't be trusted to take care of her.

"I didn't mean it that way!" she said in a panic. He had been so distracted by her hand on his that he lost track of what she was talking about. "I just meant that it wasn't my decisions." Oh yes, he was about to destroy the school. "But he's really a very nice boy, there's nothing to worry about."

Nice?

Was _**nice**_ going to protect her from demons?

Was _**nice**_ going to keep her alive when creatures are trying to kill her?

Was _**nice**_ going to shield her from all the horrors around them?

No!

Unless...

The fight left him suddenly. Fear crept into his heart. Unless she planned on staying here, in the present, and thought she wouldn't need his protection. But she said she'd stay with him for as long as he wanted. But what if she got tired of waiting? What if... what if she were looking for other potential mates? Sure, she's tried to hint that she'd wait forever. But was that really realistic? Could someone with as much love in her as she has really wait forever? Would one of these creeps from her time, or his own for that matter, eventually convince her that she should give up on him?

Her hand on his wrist loosened, and he found himself grasping it and holding it tight.

He couldn't bear to lose her. He just couldn't. He just couldn't even imagine his life without her. He would be better off shot with another enchanted arrow and to sleep forever. At least then he would have his dreams... No. _NO_. It wasn't going to happen. He wasn't going to lose her. If he had to slay every suitor that comes near her, he would!

"Inuyasha? You okay?"

Glaring at her probably wouldn't convince her that he was the best choice for a mate, so he tried to tamp down his anger and smother the growls.

"Higurashi!"

Inuyasha's ears flattened underneath the bandana that Kagome had tied around his head. It was _that _boy.

"Hi, Hojo." Kagome waved to the mortal. Inwardly Inuyasha sneered, he was simply a very fragile mortal... one whose number of heartbeats was very limited. "You remember Inuyasha, right?"

"Of course I do." The boy smiled and stretched out his hand.

There was an impulse to grab the hand and rip it off at the elbow. His own hands flexed, then with a feral grin he reached for the offered appendage. Too bad Kagome chose that time to insert herself between them with a nervous laugh.

"Shall we meet at the library?"

Hojo lowered his hand, and just that quickly, Inuyasha seemed forgotten. What a fool! Dropping his guard like that to an obvious threat was moronic! No WAY this idiot was deserving to be Kagome's mate. He couldn't protect himself, much less Kagome! It was only right to teach him a lesson on just how dangerous dropping his guard around a demon could be. One little swipe and he would never forget to keep alert. He pulled back his hand and prepared to teach the lesson. Once again, however, Kagome interfered.

"SIT!"

Crunch.

Ow. Landing on the cement stuff was worse than landing on dirt.

"Pardon me?"

"I meant that I can't wait to SIT and get started on this project."

The additional 'sit' really was uncalled for. He was only going to mangle they boy, not kill him. Well... probably not.

"We could go to WacDonalds and do our work there."

Kagome smiled at him. "That sounds fine. Studying always makes me hungry."

Tracking Kagome's scent wasn't hard. Even in this disgustingly smelly world of hers, he could always find her scent. It also helped that he remembered the smell of those fries. They made his mouth water just a little. Maybe Kagome had some money and they could buy some food. Of course, they wouldn't share with THAT boy! He could hunt his own food.

Inuyasha arrived just in time to see Kagome and that boy at the counter ordering food. She was shaking her head at him, telling him no. What was that jerk doing to Kagome?

Inuyasha hear the boy say, "I insist."

With a burst of speed, Inuyasha was positioned between them, glowering at the wimpy boy. NO ONE was _insisting _that Kagome do anything she doesn't want to do! His fingers instinctively went to the hilt of his sword. He would protect Kagome from this creep. Even though he was pathetic enough that even Shippo could handle him with no problem.

"I appreciate the though, Hojo. Inuyasha would you MOVE? I appreciate it, but Mama gave us money to eat. We are fine, don't worry."

Inuyasha smirked. Yes. 'Us'. 'We'. He liked that.

"At least let me buy you a shake."

Kagome opened her mouth, then paused. Looking uncertain, she glanced at Inuyasha before looking back at Hojo. Then she smiled gently.

"No, thank you. Why don't you order first while Inuyasha and I decide what we want?" The boy looked disappointed at Kagome's words, but soon plastered a smile on his face and gave the girl at the counter his order.

There was a slight screeching sound, and Inuyasha vaguely noticed his claws left grooves in the tile floor. That boy was trying to buy her food! Everyone knew that buying a female food meant that the male was trying to show that he was a good provider. He was COURTING Kagome! Well now, that just ain't gonna happen. No way. No how. Not while he still has a breath in his body! Just as Inuyasha was about unleash some righteous anger, he felt Kagome touch his arm.

"What would you like?" she asked.

What he'd like would be eviscerate that boy for smiling at her. For trying to court her. For breathing the same air as her! A little bloodshed. THAT is what he'd like!

Giving him a nervous look, Kagome ordered several hamburgers and a few orders of fries, along with a soda and a milkshake. For a moment, Inuyasha forgot his homicidal thoughts as he carried the tray of food to the table. Kagome waved to her three friends who thought they were hiding in a nearby booth. It didn't take long for him to remember the homicidal thoughts when the wimp offered Kagome one of his onion rings. Everyone knew that rings meant a promise. He saw Kagome practically drool over rings when they passed them in the stores. She told him how in some cultures they symbolized engagements, or promises to marry. And even proof of being married.

THAT BOY WAS TRYING TO PROPOSE TO KAGOME!!!

Inuyasha swatted the ring away from Kagome and growled. The wimp gave him a disapproving look, he could hear her friends gasp then jabber angrily, and Kagome just looked confused. Then the boy blinked, then apparently was struck with inspiration as he dragged out a notebook.

"Since we will be so busy working on our project," he told Kagome, "Perhaps your friend would like to go elsewhere."

The ketchup laden fry didn't quite make it into the miko's mouth. Her eyes narrowed slightly and her smile was tight. It was unlikely the idiot noticed the warning signs. Inuyasha hoped she purified him into dust. Could she purify a human?

"You want Inuyasha to leave?"

"You misunderstand!" The words came out quickly. Too quickly. He obviously noticed his blunder and was trying to cover himself. Maybe he wasn't a complete idiot. "I just thought that he would get bored while we write. I thought he might be more entertained elsewhere."

What could be more entertaining than thinking up ways to maim the boy that wouldn't get a dog demon into trouble?

"Inuyasha?" She interrupted the hanyou's thoughts of dismemberment. "Did you want to go or stay?"

"Feh." He opened his mouth, briefly flashing fangs, before ripping into a burger. 

"Feh?"

Kagome smiled. "That means he's planning on staying."

"Oh." He paused. Looked at Kagome. Looked at Inuyasha. Looked at the notebook. Looked at Kagome again. Looked at the notebook. Then he smiled. "Shall I write the beginning?"

Shrugging, Kagome popped a fry into her mouth and mumbled out, "Sure."

Inuyasha glared and ate as the boy wrote. Occasionally he'd look up at Kagome and smile. It was very irritating. Then he slid the notebook to Kagome and smiled some more.

"Your turn," he said unnecessarily. Did he think Kagome was an idiot or something?

Kagome read what was written. What the...? She was blushing??? She glanced at the wimp who smiled warmly at her. Then she looked back at the paper, biting her lip. What had he written? Turning the paper his direction slightly so she could write more comfortably, she finally put her pen to paper. Superior vision let the hanyou read over her shoulder.

_Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess. She was kind and sweet, but very fragile. Every prince in every surrounding kingdom wished to make her his bride. _

_But the princess was under a spell by a cruel and vicious beast. He was controlling and paranoid. He was smothering her with his possession. But alas, the princess could not see the danger she was in. Someone as harsh as he would surely break such a gentle soul. _

_A valiant, yet humble knight, fell in love with the princess. He knew that he must rescue her from the danger she could not see. For he would love and treat her with the respect she so richly deserved._

Beast? Controlling? Smothering her? Danger? HIM? A danger to Kagome? This boy... this CHILD... this waste of space thought that he would rescue Kagome from HIM? Oh this brat hadn't seen cruel and vicious before. But Inuyasha was perfectly happy to show him just how cruel and vicious a demon could be. He'd probably have to wait until Kagome wasn't watching though. She'd probably get fussy about him tearing the human.

Still... did Kagome see his words for the lies they were? Did she think that he was controlling her? That's just ridiculous! She's the ones with the subjugation beads and the 'sit' command after all. A danger to Kagome? Impossible! He would sooner lay down his life before causing Kagome any injury. And smothering? He didn't smother Kagome. He just... liked having her near and hated it when she left. That's why he would throw such a tantrum when she would run off to her own time. She is the only thing in his life that is pure and good. She is the only thing that calmed him, made him think that he could be happy. She is his hope. His future. Besides, he couldn't protect her as well in her own time. It wasn't smothering. It was protecting!

But sometimes humans were stupid. They didn't always understand things. They made things too complicated. Kagome was the queen of complicating things. She promised to stay with him forever, he promised to protect her with his life. They were just a few words away from officially being mates. Yet she still had her doubts, especially when Kikyo would come near. She didn't understand that he was simply putting the past to rest for someone he had cared about. She didn't understand that his oath to protect her with his life meant more than simply keeping her from harm. And he hadn't found a good time to tell her. Well... more like it was a conversation that he wasn't even sure how to approach.

They weren't mates yet, not officially. So she still had time to change her mind. Inuyasha would kill anyone who tried to take her from him. But if she wanted to go... His heart wrenched at the thought.

Was he controlling and smothering? Is that what Kagome saw?

Kagome made a humming sound, causing Inuyasha to glance at her. But she was focused on her writing assignment. Curious about what she would write in response, Inuyasha looked at the paper.

_Though the princess was frequently ill, she was still strong. Her illness affected her body, not her mind. The people of the kingdom assumed she stayed with the lord in his castle out of enchantment, or duty. But she stayed with him because she liked him. She liked being with him. She liked arguing with him. She liked the way he helped others, even though they were cruel to him in return. _

_And she had fallen in love with him._

_But the villagers did not understand. They could not see him as anything other than a beast, a monster. But the princess knew his heart was good, and knew that no other could compare. She promised him forever, and forever with him she would stay._

Inuyasha's heart sped up. Was this a story? Was this a declaration of love? Was she saying it? His palms began to sweat. The feeling was strange, since nothing ever made him nervous enough to have sweaty palms. But this... this could be big. This could be HUGE! Would she promise to love him until death? The other words... the other words had all been spoken. Okay, fine, maybe they weren't all said at once like in the traditional ceremonies, but who said there was a timeline on this sort of thing? She had sworn to stay with him forever, she had sworn to protect him (okay, he had fallen temporarily in battle and she stood over him protecting him with her arrows, that counted), she had sworn fidelity (well, the assurances that she wasn't interested in any other male was practically swearing fidelity), so there was only the one promise left!

Did it count if it was written?

Of course, he hadn't said the words yet because he knew that the mating ceremony would be complete, and he wasn't quite ready for that. There was no way he would be able to function if Kagome was officially his mate. Most days it was difficult enough keeping from slaughtering any male who looks at her. How bad would things get if there was the actual acknowledgment that she was his. And what if she were to become with child? He couldn't expose her to danger if she was with child. And without her, there was no way to defeat Naraku. And he didn't want that piece of filth breathing the same air as his child.

His child.

His heart beat harder. He looked Kagome and felt his temperature rising. He couldn't help but envision Kagome with a rounder belly. Obviously she noticed something unusual, since the looked at him strangely before sliding the paper back to the boy. Inuyasha shook his head to get rid of those thoughts. He couldn't afford to have them. Not yet. Part of him longed for her to say the words. Ached for it really. The other part was a bit worried that the search for Naraku would end as soon as she did.

Though... it might be worth it...

"You okay?" she asked.

"Feh." It was supposed to come out as a grunt, but it almost came out a sigh. No wonder Kagome was beginning to look worried.

It didn't take the boy long to quickly write his section and pass it back to Kagome. He was watching her with an intensity that set Inuyasha's teeth on edge. He better back off before he lost some important appendages.

_The princess's generous and loving heart had been taken advantage of by the evil lord. After all, there had been reports of kidnapped victims falling in love with their captors when kept from the world for long and being emotionally manipulated. All too often, those who are abused, either mentally or physically, rarely see it. Or are too afraid to leave him._

_It wasn't her fault, of course. She was just too good to have noticed the foul spell being wove around her. She needed someone to break the spell. Then she would see the monster for what he was. And if he was threatening her or keeping her through force or threat of force, then the prince would gladly come to her rescue. Even if he had to bring the royal guards with him._

  
_The princess would be safe with him._

He... he... he thought that... Kagome was being ABUSED? By HIM? And the boy really thought that he was any sort of match for Inuyasha? Was he insane? Just let him try! Just LET him try and take Kagome away from him. He'd learn the true meaning of the word 'monster' then!

Frantic scratching drew his attention away from his plotting. Kagome frowned at the paper and was writing her response. The handwriting wasn't nearly as neat, but it was legible.

_The princess was most certainly not a kidnapped victim suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, or anything else for that matter. He was her dearest friend and companion, and was perfectly happy with him._

Kagome thought he was her dearest friend. She was happy with him. He didn't know what Stockholm was, but by the way her pen dug into the paper, leaving a heavy line, he figured it wasn't something she was happy about. Suddenly she stopped writing and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Almost... shyly... she glanced up at Inuyasha. He tried to look like he hadn't been reading over her shoulder. But it was hard to with that smile on his face that wouldn't seem to dislodge.

Quickly she scribbled on one last line before shoving the paper back to the boy.

_She would fight for him._

She would?

Fight who? The villagers? She does that more often than she should. It had taken a long time for Inuyasha to realize that sometimes when she would talk to villagers in that calm soothing tone of hers, that she was fighting for him. When she ignored their whispers and their taunts and continued to walk by his side, she was fighting for him.

Or was she referring to Kikyo? Surely she didn't think she would have to fight Kikyo for him. Nah, Kagome wasn't that dense. She had to know that she would always come first, even before Kikyo. She was his, after all. His to protect and care for.

They had promised each other.

Inuyasha stared at the boy so he wouldn't be staring at Kagome. He didn't feel strong enough to look at her just yet. He was afraid that she would see too much in his eyes. It was something he wasn't quite ready for. It didn't take long for the boy to write his next portion, then slid it over slowly to Kagome. Golden eyes narrowed as he noticed that the boy's fingers brushed Kagome's intentionally, then lingered there. His body tensed, ready to attack. Lucky for the boy, Kagome put her hand on Inuyasha's thigh under the table to keep him from moving.

It worked. His entire body was frozen. Even the 'sit' command wasn't this effective!

Just barely, Inuyasha managed to focus his eyes and turn just enough to be able to read what was on the paper.

_The prince was a very kind and gentle person who would never hurt her. He would fill her life with joy and happiness. She would never want for anything, ever again. He would take care of her through sickness and in health. He would be her partner, and her friend. He's offering her a life of comfort and love._

_Is she certain she would rather live with the beast?_

Inuyasha glared at the boy as he passed Kagome the paper. His eyes were kind and gentle. Slightly pleading. He would try... for Kagome, this boy would try to be a man. No. He wouldn't hurt her. He wouldn't yell at her. He wouldn't call her names or tell her she is too slow. He wouldn't make her cry.

Would Kagome really choose someone like him to be her mate?

A low whine escaped as he saw her slide the boy a note with one word written on it.

_Yes._

He blinked slowly, not wanting to believe it. Then he noticed the look in Kagome's eyes. The sympathetic look. The one she would give when turning down yet another village boy who thought he could win her favor. He breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed the look was for the boy across from them. Inuyasha almost felt sorry for him when he just looked disbelieving at the paper. At Kagome's answer. Her rejection. Her complete and utter rejection of his stupidly pathetic attempt to win her over just because he had kind eyes and because he was NICE. HA!

A poke in his ribs let him know that his triumphant smirk was not appreciated.

When the boy did nothing but stare at the paper, Kagome reached back across and took it. She began writing a little bit more. This time there was a smile on her face. No... not a smile, a smirk.

_The princess and prince bid each other farewell, and the prince journeyed back to his kingdom. There he was greeted by the three ladies who had originally sent him on the quest for the princess. What the prince did not know, was that each of the three ladies were madly in love with him, but were too shy to say anything. It was easier for them to try to push the prince and princess together than to gather their courage for themselves._

_Perhaps the search for a princess of his own had just begun. Perhaps one of the three held his Happily Ever After, just as the lord held the princess's._

_The End._

With a twirl of her pen, Kagome slid the paper back to the boy. He read the lines with a sad, blank face. Then tilted his head to the side, studying the words closer. His smile returned as he looked back at Kagome.

"Truly?" he asked.

"Mm hmm," Kagome hummed as she took a sip of her slightly melted shake, slowly turning her head towards where the three were spying on them. Probably so that if ever asked, she could truthfully she hadn't told the boy anything. She was a sneaky miko sometimes.

The boy blushed and tried to hide his grin.

"Higurashi..."

"Go on," she encouraged.

Throwing her a grateful look, the boy stood up and walked over to the table with the giggling girls. Inuyasha listened as he bribed them with milkshakes. Kagome was drinking her milkshake happily.

"He wouldn't have made you happy," Inuyasha said softly, looking down at the paper that was still where the boy had been sitting.

"He would have tried. Hojo is a nice guy."

"But he wouldn't've."

Her smile was filled with warmth and sunshine as she looked him in the eye. "No, he wouldn't have."

There were a million things he wanted to ask her. So many questions he wanted to ask. So many assurances he desperately needed. But it was too soon. And he didn't know where to start. He always made such a mess with words. He wasn't good at it. Not to mention the fact that her mother was very clear, yet disturbingly pleasant while she said it, that she would see him neutered if he so much as lay a finger on her daughter in that way before she graduated high school. He wasn't sure what neutering was, but it didn't sound pleasant.

So he would wait.

And maybe he would find the words... the right words... to say to her when the time came. Until then, he would just have to hope she was smart enough to figure it out.

Under the table he let his hand bump hers. He looked away, over to where the boy was now talking with the three girls. It was almost insulting how fast he seemed to get over losing Kagome. Just as he was wondering if maybe they should try this assignment with the wolf to get rid of him too, Inuyasha felt Kagome's hand bump his back. He waited for her to take it, like she often did. But this time she just let it sit there next to his, just touching.

Inuyasha grunted out a sound as he reached for her fries, moving his hand slightly as he leaned forward. When he sat back, his hand was on top of hers. Her hand turned and she curled her fingers around his.

Maybe these assignments were all bad after all...

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Notes:

Once again, please keep in mind that originally these were meant to be seen as a bunch of one-shots… just loosely threaded together.

My best friend and I used to write Tag Team Tales all the time. It was fun! Sometimes we'd write them while we were together, sometimes we'd mail each other our portions.

Oh, and only ten more chapters to go. I have several already mostly planned. Maybe eleven if I put up something Epilogue-ish. Time will tell.


	21. Instant Poetry

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Instant Poetry

Assignment # 21: 

Time for an easy assignment. You are going to write some Instant Poetry. You will write six poems, each one taking no longer than three minutes to write. Use a timer. This is supposed to be an exercise in quick thinking, so please be honest. If the poem is not finished, turn in what you have.

Use five or more adjectives for the first line. Then write two to three sentences about the person, place, or thing. It is not necessary to start the timer until after you have chosen your topics. 

Inuyasha was a little worried.

Okay, maybe a lot worried.

Kagome had been sitting there for nearly half an hour staring at the piece of paper in her hand in horror. She hadn't responded to any of his questions or comments or insults. Usually he would have been 'sat' a dozen times by now with some of the stuff he said. He even made comments on her weight, and that ALWAYS set her off, not sure why, but it did.

He peeked over her shoulder. It was only another stupid assignment.

It didn't look like anything to get worked up about. Then again, some of those assignments were nightmares. For him. He hated it when Kagome got all emotional. Give him a world devouring demon any day over a crying Kagome. It made him feel... well... what's that word she used the other day? Inept. It makes him feel inept. And he's ept about everything! Except for crying Kagome's.

"What's wrong with Kagome?"

Inuyasha didn't bother to look down at the kit. But a small part of his heart warmed at the knowledge that he was sitting next to him mimicking his posture. Some days the kit was almost tolerable.

"Keh."

It was a safe answer. He couldn't admit that he didn't know what was wrong with the girl. First of all, they'd hound him until he asked her what was wrong. Second, he just really hated admitting to not knowing anything. He was pack leader, he couldn't show weakness. And ignorance was a weakness. But oh how it bothered him when Kagome was upset. The whole world just felt wrong. If only there was something to kill to fix the problem...

"I think it's that piece of paper."

"Feh. It's not the paper, stooopid. It's what's ON the paper." Inuyasha bopped the kit lightly on the head for effect. It didn't hurt, but it made Shippo whine anyhow.

"Kaaaagoooomeeee!"

Good. If nothing else, it'll get her mind off of what was bothering her. Anger he could deal with. But this... this quiet horror was really unnerving him!

And it worked! The sniveling little fox did the trick.

"Inuyasha!"

"Keh."

But instead of sitting him, she cocked her head to the side and gave him an odd look. Then she grinned. Before he could figure out what she was up to, Kagome was digging through her yellow bag, scattering precious cups of ramen and useless books.

"Ah ha!"

She was holding the oddest looking thing. It sort of looked like it might be an apple, but it didn't smell like an apple. And it had all these little markings on it. Dropping to her knees, Kagome showed Shippo the object. It made clicking sounds when she turned it. What in the world was that thing? Probably plastic. It smelled like the plastic stuff in her time. But there was also metal inside, he could smell it. Another magical mechanical contraption?

"What is it?" asked Shippo.

There were times having the kit around was very handy.

"It's a timer. Twist the top until it reaches the three. Then it will count down the seconds until three minutes is up. It will make a dinging sound when it reaches the zero."

Of course the kit didn't understand it the first time, so Kagome had to explain it again. She was really patient with the little manipulative brat. It wasn't that he didn't understand it, he just liked the attention. Inuyasha leaned against the tree and glared. But soon her gentle tone had him relaxing. She really was patient. And kind. Loving. Warm. Maternal. She would make a great mother some day.

Inuyasha pushed away from tree before jumping up into its branches. It just seemed wrong to have those kinds of thoughts with Kagome right there and everyone watching. He had to put a little distance between them before he said something stupid.

"What's it for?"

She smiled at the kitzune before pulling him into her lap. It was a move Inuyasha recognized. It meant she needed comforting.

Why would she need comforting?

"Well," she said hesitantly, "It's for my next assignment. I have to write some poems within a certain time limit. And the timer is so that I don't go over the limit."

"Can I run the timer?"

"Er..."

She obviously didn't want him to run the timer. Probably didn't want anyone watching her write the poems. It was just like her to get flustered over something that dumb. The others were paying attention now, and Kagome's cheeks were turning pink. It was embarrassing her. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and his throat began to rumble.

Shippo's ears pricked at the sound, causing him to look up. Miroku noticed Shippo's gaze and turned his own eyes up to stare at the hanyou. Perhaps his self-preservation began to kick in, because he suggested that he and Sango take a walk into town for supplies.

"Did we not just go for supplies yesterday," the slayer asked, bewildered.

"Ah, but we have forgotten some essential items."

"Like what?"

"Ah..."

Sango glared at the monk and crossed her arms over her chest. "Is this another cheap trick to get me alone, you pervert?"

"No, my love," he assured her. "Lady Kagome needs..." His eyes flicked up to the snarling beast in the trees, before nervously darting around the campsite. Eventually he took notice of her

bag and quiver. "Arrows. Lady Kagome is in need of more arrows before we attempt to fight more demons."

It was true enough. She only had half a dozen left.

Sango looked skeptically at the monk, then at Kagome's quiver. Kilala meowed at her, then pointed her nose in the direction of the tree. Then she finally took the hint and agreed to leave. Kagome chuckled lightly, but did not turn to look at him. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

"How many?" he asked from his perch, knowing she would understand the question.

"Six."

"How long?"

"I have three minutes for each, Inuyasha."

"Feh, you'll be done in no time."

She sighed. "I'm not that creative, Inuyasha. I can't write a poem in three minutes. It takes an hour just to think of a topic. I can't do it. I just can't." Her shoulders slumped as her head hit her updrawn knees. She looked defeated.

Inuyasha dropped to the ground. Shippo was silent as he watched. There was no monk to save him now, and getting Kagome involved was just going to make her more miserable. Finally the runt did something smart. Now, Inuyasha wasn't sure exactly what he was going to do. Writing poetry wasn't one of his strengths. Though he did write a pretty impressive one about slaughtering Naraku that time when Kagome was sick. Too bad everyone butchered it into some sissified version before she got to read it.

"What exactly is your assignment?" he asked.

"Well... I have to write a poem within three minutes. The first line has to have five or more adjectives, then two or three lines about the person or place or thing." She took a breath. "I know it sounds easy, Inuyasha, but it isn't. Poetry is supposed to mean something. I can't just come up with something important. I can't!"

He grit his teeth. He hated it when she said that she couldn't do something. There wasn't anything she couldn't do. Hadn't she proved that enough times?

"What is an adjective for..." he looked around the campsite. "Your arrows?"

"Huh?"

"Adjectives for your arrows." He didn't take his eyes off of Kagome as he said, "Start the timer, Shippo."

With a click and a whir the timer began.

"Um..."

"C'mon, Kagome, don't be an idiot. It's just a stupid arrow. Gimme an adjective."

She glared at him before looking at the arrows she had left. "Umm... Straight. Long. Ummm... Feathered..."

"That's three. Keep going."

"Sharp." She glanced away from him for a moment. "Tragic."

He ignored the last one. "Okay. A sentence. Just one."

"Uhhh... it flies... ummm... through the air."

"Ok. One more."

"It uh... pierces... ummm... flesh and bone."

A little morbid. He liked it.

"See. You did it. Good job. It ain't so hard."

Her eyes were blank for a moment, then her lips curled upwards and her eyes began to shine. She gave him a look that never failed to make his heart swell. It was the same look whenever he saved her from danger. Like helping her write a stupid poem was the same as saving her life. He'd never understand the girl.

Straight. Long. Feathered. Sharp. Tragic.

It flies through the air.

It pierces flesh and bone.

She scribbled down the poem and gave him another blinding smile. He was glad the others weren't there. He was glad he could stay and watch it transform her face. If only the kit wasn't here...

"It doesn't rhyme," Shippo complained as the timer dinged.

Inuyasha bopped him on the head for making Kagome's smile dim a little. She looked at the paper then shook her head.

"Its fine the way it is. Poems don't always have to rhyme. Besides, there is no time for changes."

She began looking around the campsite, a lot like Miroku had done. But her expression began to turn worried again as she was unable to find a source of inspiration. Inuyasha looked around too. Then he saw her bag and leapt to it. Dragging out the object that would surely be easy to write poetry about, since obviously adjectives were words that described something else.

"You're kidding," she said with a laugh.

"What?"

"Ramen?"

He glared at her. "Adjectives, Kagome. Now."

"Let's seee... Salty. Starchy. Slippery."

"Kagome! You forgot delicious and tasty and fast and hot and delicious!"

She bit her lip to keep from laughing. Then she looked at the timer Shippo was holding and quickly recited the rest of her poem. "Tempting. Tasty. Instant dinner in three minutes. Umm..." Her eyes crinkled as she grinned at Inuyasha, making him feel a little off. "...Addicting cup of noodles and broth."

He watched as she wrote down the second poem.

"See. Easy." He didn't let go of the cup, but began looking around some more. It was good to see her more at ease. The timer dinged, causing Inuyasha to smirk. She was beating the timer by a good minute at least. He doubted any of those other mortals in her school were that fast.

"Your backpack?"

"Really?"

"Come on. It'll be easy."

"Uh... okay. Ready Shippo?" He started the timer all over as Kagome looked at the bag. "Yellow. Heavy. Full. Ummm... Oh! Empty. Light." She scrunched her nose at it while she thought for a moment. "I carry it with me everywhere I go. I carry..." She giggled happily, "I carry the future in it."

Feh. It wasn't what he would have said. It was yellow alright. The other adjectives worked too. She did carry it with her everywhere too. But it wasn't the future she carried in it. Well, technically he guessed that she did since it had all her future stuff in it. She was probably thinking of her schoolbooks. But what she really carried in it was their present. Their food. Their first aid kit. His ramen.

"That's three!" she smiled as she finished writing down the poem about her bag. "Three more to go."

"Write about me!"

It was Shippo who asked the question. But the words were planted in Inuyasha's mind. What would she write about him? What five words did she think described him? Brave or Annoying? Strong or Angry. Faithful? Trustworthy? What? What did she really think of him? What would be her words? What two sentences would describe him in her eyes?

"Clever. Sharp. Crafty. Sneaky. Cute." She thought for a moment, then ruffled his hair. "Gotta keep my eye on the trickster fox. He is as dangerous as he is adorable."

The poem thrilled Shippo, who had forgotten the timer. But it was the quickest poem yet. It probably just took her under a minute to write. Would her words come as easily for describing him? Then the devious little brat looked at Inuyasha and grinned broadly, showing all of his pointy teeth.

"Do one on Kouga! You haven't written anything about Kouga at all!"

Apparently he was nursing a grudge for the pounding he got earlier.

"I'm not sure it would be a good idea," she said. Maybe she knew that the wolf's life would likely be in danger if it was half as flattering as Shippo's poem. "After all, my teachers tend to... overreact when I write about demons." She meant sending her to those special 'counseling' things.

"See, she doesn't want to write about that flea-bitten wolf." Of course, Inuyasha could think of plenty of adjectives for him. Any one of them would likely get him a 'sit' though.

"It's not that, exactly..." She looked uncertain. Was she actually feeling guilty?

"It sure would hurt his feelings if he knew he was left out."

Thank goodness Kagome was too smart to fall for...

"Oh ok."

Fine. She was a sucker for the pouty face. Her heart was far too soft. She looked at him

nervously before wiping her hands on her skirt. The pencil twirled in her fingers as she took a deep breath. Finally she gave the fox kit the nod to start the timer.

"Fast."

Flea-bitten.

"Um... Persistent."

Stalker.

"Loyal."

Stalker.

"Sweet."

What?

"Strong."

Sweet?

"Two sentences about Kouga!" Chirped the brat.

"Let's see... Fiercely loyal to his family. He... uh..." She tapped the pencil on the paper nervously, glancing at the timer that was steadily ticking. "He is a wolf like no other!" She looked rather pleased with herself as she got the last word out before the timer dinged, but Inuyasha was still scowling.

SWEET?

"Okay, so far I have a poem about Ramen, Shippo, Kouga, and my backpack."

"Don't forget about the one of Kouga and the arrow."

"I've already counted Kouga," she laughed, fooled by the obnoxious little beast who was trying to pick a fight and make Inuyasha look bad. "That's five. I only need one more!"

It was tempting to ask her to write about him, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Even if Shippo wasn't hanging around to make fun of him he doubted he would be able to work up the courage to ask her to write about him. However...

"The God Tree."

"Oh."

She was silent for so long he wondered if she was suspicious of his suggestion. He tried not to fidget. She was silent so long he had to drop down in a squat with his fists on the ground. Kagome always thought he looked more dog than demon when he sat like that. It was a less threatening position.

"That is a very good suggestion." But she didn't look happy. She looked concerned. Did he just royally mess up? "There is just too much to say. I..." She looked at him.

She looked like she was drowning, or being swept away by a demon. She was looking to him to save her. His heart beat hard. Adrenaline started pumping through his system. His senses reacted to her expression, telling him that she was in danger. His instincts screamed at him to protect her. But it was just a poem. Just a few words. It wasn't a demon he could fight. He regretted picking the tree. But another part of him was too anxious to hear what she had to say.

"Think of the tree," he said softly. "Close your eyes and think of our tree. Just relax now. Describe it to me."

Kagome closed her eyes. "Huge... Timeless... Green... Brown... Calming... Familiar... Scarred..."

"That's enough, Kagome. Now tell me what it means to you. Tell me what the tree means."

"It is the past and the future. It has seen such violence and such joy. It connects me to you."

She sighed. Inuyasha sighed in relief. The she opened her eyes, and they seemed to be talking to him. Telling him something. But he couldn't figure it out, and he did not have the courage to ask. Not today.

"Thank you, Inuyasha," she said in a soft voice. "You are always saving me."

"Keh."

After all... saving her was his job.

Author's Notes:

I found the formula for Instant Poetry in a book about sidewalk chalk activities. Interesting the odd places you find inspiration…

Oh yeah, I decided to follow the assignment, so all poems had to be written under five minutes.

Another Author's Note:

In case you couldn't tell, this was written from Inuyasha's point of view. All negative criticism of everyone's favorite fox kit belongs to a certain dog demon.


	22. Flaws

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Flaws

Assignment # 22: 

No one is perfect, regardless of what you may think or your mother may have told you. Everyone has flaws. What is one of yours? How does it affect you and the people around you? Should you change it? If so, how? 400-600 words.

"You're always late," griped Inuyasha.

"You are too soft hearted," said Sango, "You need to stand up for yourself."

"She stands up for herself just fine!"

"Not for the important things, Inuyasha."

"You never bring enough snacks," complained Shippo. "We are always running out of pocky and chips and sodas and ramen and everything."

"You spend too much time on the other side."

"Inuyasha has a point," agreed Miroku, "Though it could have been put less rudely. If you spent more time here you would be able to improve your archery and we might be able to locate more jewel fragments. Perhaps even find Naraku himself."

"Your clothes do... draw attention," Sango said gently.

"You're always flirting with that flea bitten wolf!"

"You never take me to your time. Only Inuyasha gets to go and that's not fair!"

A vein in Kagome's forehead throbbed. She tried to keep a smile on her face. She tried to remember that she had asked them for their help on this assignment. She just didn't realize that their list would be so very long. Realizing her grip on the pen may snap it at any moment, she tried very hard to relax. Of course everyone has flaws... but they had been going on for at least twenty minutes. Sure they were reluctant to start (well, Inuyasha wasn't so reluctant and got sat twice in five minutes), but they had been going pretty steady for a wee bit too long.

"Thank you," she said through gritted teeth, "I think I have plenty to work with here."

Sango looked upset. "We didn't hurt your feelings did we?"

Kagome inhaled. She had asked for their help, no holds barred, so complaining now would be a little hypocritical. Still... she hadn't realized they would find quite so many flaws. Though at least they all danced around the subject of Kikyo. No one mentioned that she wasn't the miko Kikyo was. No one compared her and exposed her as lacking. In fact, no one even mentioned the dead miko. But still she felt the words just out of reach. She exhaled and tried to feel calm.

"Of course, not," she said with what she hoped was a smile. She bet they wouldn't have found so many flaws in Kikyo. Even if they did, Inuyasha wouldn't have let them say them. "Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it. All I have left is to write about it and what I would do to fix it."

"Gosh Kagome!" said Shippo as he sat down on her knee. "Which one are you going to choose? Want us to help you figure out how to fix it?"

Which one of the thousands of things to change? She thought to herself miserably.

"That's okay, Shippo. I think I can handle it."

Kagome took her notebook and pen and wandered out of Kaede's hut and over to a large tree to sit against. She heard Sango whispering sharply to the others and sighed. They meant well. Still... no one likes to hear their flaws. Especially all in one sitting. So as Miroku and Sango wandered into town and Shippo went to 'help' Kaede, Kagome sat down and stared at her paper.

The list was pretty long. Some would be easy fixes, like stocking up on more candy and chips or changing the scent of her soaps. Others were not so easy to fix. She couldn't give up wearing her uniform, it was her reminder of who she was and her link back to home. She couldn't take Shippo to her time, it was impossible. And some of the requests were just insane. Why in the world would she flirt with Kouga? She just tries to keep the peace. They need allies in their fight against Naraku, and it is silly to make another enemy over a personality clash.

"We gave you a list already, why are you adding more?"

Kagome looked up just in time to see Inuyasha drop down from the branch above her. Her frustration level was to the boiling point and she felt close to snapping. Wait... what did he mean about adding more? She looked down and noticed she had been scribbling on the page. Her own list of flaws. Each flaw made her heart sink a little lower. No wonder Inuyasha still pined after Kikyo.

Inuyasha peered around the paper to see what she had written, but she yanked the paper to her chest. Ashamed.

He scowled at her. Then he scowled at the paper. Kagome thought he would lose his temper and take off to go sulk in a tree or go terrorize Shippo, but instead he sat on his haunches and stared at her quietly fuming. It was unnerving.

"What?" she finally asked.

Apparently her outburst loosened her hold on the paper and it was out of her hands and shredded to confetti before she could even think to protest. She squeaked and grabbed at the pieces still falling.

"Are you crazy? That's my homework!"

"It's stupid!"

"You're stupid! How could you?" The words were said without thought. Or heat. Depression was the victor over anger and she just couldn't find it in her to fight with him. Oh well... it wasn't as if she didn't have that list memorized anyhow. She sighed as she started writing on a fresh sheet of paper. "Go away and let me work."

But as soon as she wrote down another line the paper was ripped from her again.

"What is your problem?" Maybe she could find a spark of anger after all.

It's stupid that they make you talk about all the things wrong with you. Your stupid school is always giving you nightmares that wake me up! It makes you worry and makes you think about things other than here, our quest. It makes you leave! It makes you cry! It isn't worth it, Kagome! So just forget about it that stupid place and concentrate on finding Naraku and those jewel shards!"

Kagome sighed. Her anger died.

"We've talked about this before, Inuyasha. I can't quit school. I have to think about my future. I have to think about what I'll do if..."

"Shut up," he snapped angrily.

"...if I can't stay here when the jewel is complete."

"No. I won't let it...."

"Inuyasha," Kagome said gently to the distressed hanyou, "We don't know what will happen. And graduating is the only way that I can protect my future." She smiled as she remembered an example she had used before and his reaction to it. "After all, if I can't take care of myself, I'll have to rely on some human ma..."

"Fine!" He growled. "I get it."

He glared at the ground in front of her. She had a difficult time keeping from reaching out and touching his ears. He was so cute when he pouted! Still, his outbursts were awfully hard on her homework assignments at times. With a sigh she picked up her pen and got out a clean sheet of unshredded paper. Kagome eyes Inuyasha suspiciously as she started writing. She was a little surprised to see that his expression was not anger or frustration, but sadness. Maybe he wasn't quite as unaffected about the thought of her never returning as he would like people to believe.

"You're too breakable," he said.

"What?"

Inuyasha lifted his eyes from the ground and into her eyes. He nodded to the paper.

"You are too breakable. Bones take months to mend when they are broken. A simple sprain and you have to be carried around if you want to go anywhere. And you bleed. You bleed so easy, Kagome. Things I wouldn't even feel can bruise you. Or break you. If I don't keep my eye on you all the time you could be hurt. Or killed. Or stolen from me."

Inuyasha sounded so despondent that Kagome couldn't help but lean forward and touch his shoulder.

"And your life is so short. Kaede was a child when I went to sleep and an old woman when I woke up." His eyes held such pain. "Soon she'll just be a memory. You...." He stopped speaking and whirled around so that his back faced her. "You're too breakable, that's your flaw."

Before Kagome could say a word, he disappeared into the trees.

She looked at her paper and began writing. She didn't know where it was going to go, but so many thoughts were filling her head she felt she should start writing them down before she exploded.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Somewhere in my head I've known for a long time that I would die long before my friends would. I knew it, but I never really thought about it. After quizzing some of my friends on my flaws, the one that seemed to impact them the most was that I am 'breakable'. I never really gave any consideration to how this makes my friends feel. My initial thoughts were that they are annoyed at how I can't seem to always keep up with them. I'm not as strong or as fast as they are. I figured that they were just impatient with the fact that sometimes I have to be away from them for days at a time. But I never really thought about how it affects them.

I didn't think about how they would feel living with just my memory.

Will they be lonely when I'm gone? Who will remind them that they are special? That they are loved? That there is at least one person in this world who thinks they are amazing? I won't be there to be with them any longer. I won't be able to take their hand, to offer my strength even as they lend their strength to me.

How does my breakability affect those around me? They have to slow down and do things at my pace, which some have an easier time doing than others. Things take much more time than they should, and that can be very frustrating. And their frustration makes me frustrated, and sometimes we end up yelling at each other. And we have to be apart for sometimes days at a time. They have to wait on me, sometimes metaphorically, sometimes literally. They will live on when I am gone. When I'm just a memory.

How can I change this? Well, much as I would like to defy nature and live my life alongside my friends, the reality is that there is nothing I can do but hope and wish. So, what do I do? Is there anything that is going to make the separation easier on them? Do I talk about it with them or just leave it alone? Will talking about it make things easier or just cause more pain? I can't change this flaw, all I can do is change how I deal with it. How we deal with it.

Do I want to leave this world with regrets? With words I should have said? Things I should have done? Now, while there is time, do I say the things that are in my heart? That is nearly as frightening as the thought of no longer being here. I'm brave enough to face a demon with just a bow and arrow, but not brave enough to admit to someone just how much I care about them.

Maybe I should be brave.

To make sure that there is at least one thing that I won't regret not having said and done. One way to make sure that my feelings were never questioned, and that at least we will have that memory to hold on to.

I will do it.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Kagome stood up and called to Inuyasha. She didn't even let out a startled 'eep' this time when he fell from the branch above her. He stood in front of her with his arms crossed in front of his chest, and a slight dusting of pink on his cheeks.

"Inuyasha.... I...." She looked up into his eyes.

She saw in his golden eyes warmth. She saw hope. She saw them go slightly blurry as she found herself leaning a little closer.

"Kaaagooooome!" called Shippo. "I'm hungry!"

Kagome and Inuyasha stepped apart. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire.

"Inuyasha..."

"I... I'm hungry too." He said, keeping his face averted.

Kagome sighed and picked up her paper, a little surprised she hadn't noticed that she dropped it. She scribbled one more word on it before writing down the total of 524 words.

'Soon', she wrote.

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Notes:

Sorry it has been so long between chapters. I swear I haven't forgotten the story. It just took me awhile to get it finished.

Thanks for your reviews! You guys are great!


	23. A Simple Sonnet

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

A Simple Sonnet

Assignment # 23: 

Write a 14-line sonnet consisting of three quatrains of abab cdcd efef followed by a couplet, gg. Shakespearean sonnets generally use iambic pentameter. (10 syllables). Any subject.

  
"Oh no!" groaned Inuyasha. "Not that Shakespeare guy again."

Kagome looked up from her copy of 'Much Ado About Nothing' and looked guilty.

"What's the assignment this time?" he asked snarkily, "More people killing themselves for no good reason?"

"Romeo and Juliet was a Tragedy, this one is a Comedy. And this one," she blushed as she set it down, "I was reading just for fun, this other book is the one I'm supposed to be reading." She picked up a much thinner book, but it, too, was written by Shakespeare.

Inuyasha was aghast. "Why in the world are you reading a book you don't HAVE to?"

Kagome scowled at him. "Because it was interesting and fun to read. Books aren't just for school work, you know. They are full of adventure..."

"We have adventures."

"...humor..."

"That's what we keep the monk around for."

"...danger..."

"Kagome, we're in danger every day."

"...romance..."

"..."

"And it is fun. Though," she admitted with a shrug, "Reading Shakespeare can be a little tricky. Sometimes I just have to use my best guess on what a certain word means."

"There's romance in your books?" Inuyasha looked at her book suspiciously.

"Not to mention that reading for fun improves your vocabulary and comprehension skills."

"Are you sure your mother knows you are reading those books?"

"And your ability to focus... Inuyasha, are you even paying attention to me?"

He looked at her accusingly, "You've been spending too much time with Miroku. Give me that book!" He made a grab for her copy of the book in her hands. She let him take it. He opened it up and frowned at the pages. "The words look funny."

"It is a book of sonnets. Poems. And that," she said with an unhappy sigh, "...that is my next assignment. I have to write a sonnet."

Inuyasha tossed the book over her backpack and watched as it landed with a thud in the dirt. He hated these assignments... most of the time. Sometimes they were surprisingly interesting. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to know if a sonnet was another one of those depressing poems, or if it would be something happier, like those limericks. It got harder to fight against her assignments when they often told him so much about her. Not that he would admit that he had actually started paying attention. When she wrote, she seemed more likely to let little things slip. Things about how she felt about him. They gave him so much hope.

But the tears.... even that little bit of hope wasn't worth her tears. Her heartbreak. He would be glad when she was finished with school for good.

"What... what exactly is a sonnet about?" he asked warily, crouching down in front of her. His protective instincts were kicking in.

He was glad that the others had gone into town, he would have surely been teased for his curiosity. Kagome had said she was too tired for shopping and said she was just going to stay put and rest, but Inuyasha knew the truth. His kind wasn't welcome there. A demon was not welcome. Shippo got away with it by simply poofing away his tail with one of his spells. But... she did look a little tired. It wasn't that long ago since she had been ill. He looked at her in concern, then on instinct took her temperature. She smiled at him.

"I'm fine, Inuyasha. Just a little tired."

"Feh." He crossed his arms in front of him as he plopped down in front of her and sat.

She smiled at him again, then seemed to remember his question. "Oh. A sonnet. It doesn't have to be about any particular topic. It just has to follow a rhyme scheme. The teacher wanted us to read some sonnets so we'd know what they were like. Some of them are quite depressing." Inuyasha frowned at her. "And," she said with a grin, "Some are quite romantic!" His frown deepened. "Want me to read you some?"

He wasn't sure if he wanted to hear them or not. He didn't want to hear depressing. And he wasn't sure what he'd do with romantic. He blushed at the thought. It was... uncomfortable. At least Miroku wasn't hear to tease. Kagome began reading.

She smiled at him as she read him a poem by that Shakespeare guy called "Those lips that love's own hand did make"**.** Just the title alone made him uncomfortable. The second line ended with the words "I hate". And he remembered the time he heard those words from Kagome's lips too. He remembered how badly it hurt. The pain. The despair. The feelings of having his soul ripped from his body. He listened to Kagome read. That Shakespeare guy didn't have an inkling of the pain it felt hearing those words. The poem didn't begin to describe the indescribable. There was no pain like it... Not even having a sword thrust through your belly. But that last line... that one sounded about right. Where she saved his life by saying she didn't hate him. He didn't know what he'd do if Kagome hated him. The thought of it... well, it was unthinkable.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome. She had a silly grin. She didn't even know the anguish she put him through that day. And hearing the poem caused the pain to be keenly remembered. He wanted to ask her if she really ever did actually have any feelings of hate towards him. But he wasn't sure he really wanted to know.

"Oh, here's another one," she said before he could muster up the courage to ask her about if she ever hated him. "My Mistress's Eyes Are Nothing Like The Sun."

Inuyasha listened as the writer said that her eyes weren't like the sun or her cheeks like roses. All the flowery compliments that he often heard Miroku use were there, except they weren't compliments. The man was saying that she wasn't anything like all those beautiful things that men compare beauty too. Inuyasha had to agree with him. Kagome's eyes weren't like the sun. Sure they sparkled and would shine, but they were more like twinkling stars. Unless she was really mad, then they were like the firey sun. And no, her lips weren't the color of roses. He had never seen a flower the shade of her lips before. Not that, you know, he ever really studied them. And they sure weren't the color of red roses. He'd seen females put things on their lips to make them red like that, but not Kagome. Her cheeks weren't like roses either. Sometimes she would blush, but that wasn't the color of roses either. He couldn't really name a color for that.

Then the Shakespeare guy said the girls breath wasn't like perfume and her voice didn't sound like music. He wondered if this guy had any better luck with girls than Miroku. But Kagome's breath wasn't like perfume either. Perfumes were too strong and hurt his nose. Kagome's breath usually smelled like mint and cinnamon. Bathing wasn't her only hygiene habit. She was always brushing her teeth. Her voice wasn't like music either. Though he'd rather listen to it than music any day. Most music wasn't worth listening to. Not that he knew a lot about it. He was rarely around when a human played music. Its not like he was ever invited to listen to them play.

"I thought he loved her," Inuyasha said.

Kagome put down the book and picked up her pad of paper and pencil. "He does."

"But... I thought that... I mean Miroku always says that women... That they like the stuff with saying they are like roses and perfumed stuff."

Kagome laughed and reached forward to tweak his ear playfully. "Inuyasha, do me a favor. Never EVER listen to Miroku about women. And yes, compliments are sometimes very nice. But the point of this poem was that he saw her for exactly what she was and loved her anyhow. That all those silly comparisons are false, and his love for her was more than that. It is rare. And real. He loves her just the way she is."

Inuyasha picked up the book and looked at it. "So he doesn't need all those love words to make her like him?"

"Of course not."

All those things had always seemed too fake anyhow.

"He doesn't have to compare her eyes to suns or say she's a goddess who's feet don't touch the ground."

"Right. To him she's not just someone up on a pedestal. She's with him. And real. Not just some ideal woman that he has made himself believe was more than she really was." Kagome's mouth snapped shut, and she tapped her pencil on the paper. "I mean... he just is realistic about her."

Inuyasha thought about that. Kagome was real. And he wasn't a fool. Maybe once he thought Kikyo to be more than she was. But being with Kagome has changed that. He was more able to see her for who she was. The more he was with Kagome, the more he was able to see Kikyo more clearly. She was still someone he cared for. And he would still help her when he could. But he knew that he didn't love her. That he perhaps never loved her. He had just needed someone to care about him. Kagome made him see that. Because Kagome did care. She really did care about him. And his feelings towards here were so different, so strong. He knew that there really was no comparison. But he didn't have the words to tell that to Kagome. He never was too good with words.

"What are you gonna write about?" he asked instead. "You going to write about love?"

Kagome bit her lip. Pencil still tapping nervously. "Do..." She looked down at the paper, concentrating on it. "Do you want to help me write it?"

Inuyasha didn't answer right away. The word 'no' was on his lips before he could think about it. It was a reflex. But he didn't say the word. Of course, he didn't say 'yes' either though. Kagome took his silence as a yes and smiled at him. After the requisite 'feh' he sat beside her.

"Okay, we only have to write fourteen lines. It has to follow a abab cdcd efef followed by a gg."

He cocked his head to the side. "Wha?"

"The first line and third line have to rhyme with each other. And the second line and fourth line have to rhyme together. It follows that same pattern three times, then there are two lines at the end that rhyme. And we're trying to keep it to ten syllables."

Inuyasha nodded, though he wasn't entirely certain he understood completely.

"So... um.... what should it be about?"

"Fighting," he answered. He wasn't about to write a love poem with Kagome. No way. It would be too weird. He'd mess it up for sure. Then she'd leave forever. Or laugh at him. Or laugh and then leave!

"No gory stuff," she said, waving her pencil at him.

"Surrounded by demons on a field of blood." Inuyasha began counting. "No. That's too many. Demons surround us on a field of blood." He counted the syllables again and nodded to himself.

"I thought I said no gory stuff."

"It ain't gory yet."

Kagome sighed. He never liked it when she sighed. "It's the 'yet' that worries me." But she wrote the line down anyhow. "You'll have to to be able to rhyme with blood you know."

"Mud. Flood. Cud."

"Cud?" Kagome smiled. Then she brightened as she thought of a second line. Inuyasha's heart warmed. "How about this? Demons surround us on a field of blood. We stand together to fight, back to back. They descend upon us as if a flood."

"That's pretty good." Inuyasha watched closely as she wrote. "You need something to rhyme with 'back' now, right?"

She smiled at him again. "Right."

He mumbled to himself, trying to find a word to rhyme. Back. Sack. Rack. Tack. Smack. Lack. Hack. Knack. Pack. "Together we will protect our pack."

There was silence. He looked over to see Kagome looking down at her paper with pinkened cheeks. "Um... Not quite enough words," she said. Then she scribbled in a short little word in front of his sentence. "Fixed."

Together they huddled over the paper, laughing over what word may rhyme with matter. Arguing over the best way to end the second stanza. Kagome fighting to keep it clean. Inuyasha fighting to keep it vivid. But then they arrived at the last two lines. Their poem had been about fighting together. Fighting until the battle was done. But what would they do when their own battles were done? What would the do when Naraku was defeated? Kagome whispered the first of the two ending lines. Then Inuyasha heard their friends returning. He looked around, slightly panicked, then he got ready to jump into the tree and feign sleep. But before he did, he told Kagome the last line. His reward was a shy smile that caused his chest to expand.

"We brought dinner!" called Sango as she waved from the distance.

Kagome waved back, then looked up at the hanyou. Quickly she read the poem aloud one time before the others came too close to hear.

Demons surround us on a field of blood  
We stand together to fight, back to back.  
The descend upon us as if a flood.  
And together we will protect our pack.

In darkness or light, it doesn't matter.  
Back to back we stand against every one  
Though the sun burns or wind will batter.  
We will not give in til the battle's done.

Our bond will see us through another day

From the highest mountain or deepest hole.

Never ending, we keep evil at bay

Protecting each other, body and soul.

The day is over and alone we stand  
We look to face the next day, hand in hand

And the next day. And the next day.... Inuyasha promised her silently.

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Author's Notes: Sorry it has taken so long to update. I didn't forget about it, I swear!

Author's Notes part 2: Um, sorta goofed on the sonnet there the first time. It didn't have enough lines. I added the stanza and hopefully it should be all fixed now. Thanks for the head's up! (this is why beta readers are a good idea…)


	24. Dictionary Dare

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Dictionary Dare

Assignment # 24: 

Your next challenge is to choose two random words from a dictionary and write a short story where these two words play an important part. Please no cheating. This is an exercise in spontaneity and overcoming writer's block. The story must be at least 300-500 words long.

"What are you doing?" asked Inuyasha curiously as he dropped down in front of her.

Kagome kept her eyes closed. Odd how that didn't surprise her anymore. She supposed that over time she may have gotten used to the dog demon appearing out of thin air on her. "I'm doing my homework."

"Your eyes are closed."

Her lips quirked in a grin. "Your powers of observation amaze me."

"Shut up."

She could feel him looking at her closely, so she opened her eyes. "What do you want, Inuyasha?"

She didn't really have to ask. The dog demon was bored. Sango and Miroku had slipped away for another walk (ignoring Inuyasha's confused question about why they would go walking when they just got DONE walking for hours), Shippo and Kirara were taking naps after an afternoon of playing a vigorous game of chase during their travels. Inuyasha had nothing to do. And a bored Inuyasha was a very hyperactive Inuyasha. The chances of him sitting quietly while she worked were slim to none. Some days she suspected them of all taking off while she did her homework just so that they wouldn't have to deal with him.

"How can you do homework if your eyes are closed?"

Kagome sighed and tried to be patient as he peered at the book she had on her lap. "My homework assignment is to choose two words at random from a dictionary. I'm closing my eyes so that I'm not tempted to cheat and pick out words I would want to use. Then we have to write a story where these two words are important." She gave him a smile. "Do you want to help me pick the words?"

"Me?" He was clearly startled. The hopeful look on his face was... charming.

"Sure. Close your eyes and count to ten, I'll flip the pages back and forth. When you reach ten drop your finger. Whatever word you are closest to will be the word I use."

Inuyasha grew still and serious. He nodded to her, then closed his eyes. Kagome was a little taken aback by his sudden seriousness, but she started flipping the pages of the dictionary under where his finger hovered. She watched him as she turned the pages. There were times he looked so sweet an innocent. Almost angelic. Of course, then he'd open his mouth and then his personality would ruin the effect. It was rare to see him with his eyes closed. A couple times she had caught him sleeping in her bed back in her time, and she had been struck by how different he looked when he was at peace. Moments like that really made her heart go...

"TEN!"

Kagome jumped slightly when Inuyasha jabbed his finger down. She had nearly forgotten he was counting. Blushing, she hoped she hadn't been caught staring. Luckily he seemed more focused on the page than on the blood rising to her cheeks. She looked down at the word and laughed.

"Secret." How perfect of a word was that? "Great job, Inuyasha! 'Secret' will make the whole story lots easier to write." She beamed at him and he looked away, a blush staining his cheeks too. "Um... are you ready to choose the next word?"

He nodded and closed his eyes once more.

Was it her imagination, or had Inuyasha been... growing up a bit more lately? Sure he still fought with Shippo sometimes, but it lacked the heat it used to have. And he carried himself differently. Stood straighter, less aggressive than when they first met and began their journey. And... and he... looked at her differently. She recalled the first time she saw that look. She had FELT that look clear down to her toes. Warming her. Warming her blood, causing her brain to short circuit and her heart to beat like thunder. She had been too afraid to hope then. But now... now maybe she could...

"TEN!"

Kagome blinked to clear her vision from well, the visions her brain had started coming up with. Luckily Inuyasha was looking down at the book again instead of her. She took a breath and let it out. Then she laughed when she saw the word.

"Bone." She said the first thing that came to her mind. "The Secret of the Bone Eaters Well"

Nah. Too close to home. And she worried that she accidently let her own secret slip.

"I like it."

"But... Inuyasha... do you think it would be a good idea to bring attention to the well?"

He shrugged. "It only works for us, who cares who else knows."

"Well..."

"Besides, it's just a story."

Kagome thought about it. He was right (which she thought it best she not bring to his attention). It was supposed to just be a story. No one would really know the secret. Besides... she wasn't sure that even SHE knew the secret.

"How do you suppose it works?" she asked.

"Magic."

The answer came so quick and so sure that Kagome had to bite her lip to keep from grinning at his answer. She set the dictionary aside and picked up her notebook. She started doodling a picture of the well on the top right corner of the page.

"But how? And why?"

Inuyasha cocked his head to the side and thought about it. "So we can be together."

The answer was so sweet that Kagome smiled. She decided not to ask about the bones in the well. It was sure to be a much more disappointing answer, and she wanted to spend a few minutes reveling in warm fuzzies.

What if he was right though? Would it be possible that the well survived hundreds of years just to bring them together? Sure it seemed a bit... arrogant. But no one else could use the well, so it wasn't THAT farfetched. Though the centipede demon DID go through the well first, that's how she ended up in the past to begin with. So maybe it had something to do with the jewel. She started doodling a picture of the jewel on the page, half whole surrounded by fragments. But thinking about the jewel being the reason was too scary. After all, they were on a quest to put it together and dispose of it. Would the well stop working then?

"What's wrong?" asked a much too observant dog demon.

"Just thinking about the well."

He looked down at the paper, then glared at it. His fists flexed. "No."

She shook her head at him, trying not to laugh. "No?"

"I won't let it take you away, Kagome. I won't. Trust in that."

She didn't know how he would fight destiny or magic beyond his control... but knowing Inuyasha, he might just find a way.

He crouched in front of her, no longer looking at her notebook. "Maybe you should write about something else." He thought for a moment. "The Secret Bone Thief. Or Bone Crunching Secrets. Or... or..."

"I thought you liked the other title."

"Changed my mind."

Kagome ignored him and started writing. She ignored his surly behavior towards their companions when they got back from their walk. She ignored him waking Shippo and Kirara from their naps to tell them to bring firewood. She ignored his many many attempts to distract her from her writing.

By the time she was finished, everyone was sound asleep and the stars were shining in the sky. She stood and stretched.

"Done?"

Inuyasha appeared in front of her, still slightly sulky.

"Want to hear my story?"

"No."

For a moment her feelings were hurt. Then she paid closer attention to what Inuyasha wasn't saying. He really was quite lovable.

"Aw, come on," she said with a smile.

"No." He glared at her. "I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear about how the well won't work, or how the magic is done, or how we will be apart. I WON'T HEAR IT, KAGOME!"

Kagome turned so that she could see the words by firelight. And started to read.

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The Secret of the Bone Eaters Well

It was just an old well. An old well made of wood and stones.

But the old well had a secret. And in the bottom it held bones.

There were stories that the bones were of slain demons, or the bodies of humans that people wanted to disappear. Stories said that there were three skulls to be seen, some said there were piles. Still others say that there is no way to know, for no one who sees what is at the bottom of the Bone Eater's Well ever returns to tell their tale.

The well was born hundreds of years ago. It was built by a young man with the help of his new bride. They built their home together, their garden together, and now they would build the well that would sustain them together.

Every morning they would start the day by saying 'good morning'.

"Good morning, Wife."

"Good morning, Husband."

And they would kiss and go to work. It was not an easy life, but it was filled with love and laughter. Their souls were bound.

The forest spirits would watch them. At times they would help, for the couple were kind and often left scraps of food for the hungry creatures of the woods. At other times they would play tricks on them for their own amusement. But not all the spirits of the forest were friendly. Some were angry. Some were jealous.

One spirit in particular was very jealous. Every smile and laugh seemed to mock him. Every joy they shared was another sting. On the day the well was finished, the angry spirit pushed the young man into the well.

The woman cried in anguish. Her heart broken.

It hurt to see such love, and the spirit grew angrier still. He pushed her down as well.

Then they were gone. No love. No laughter. No singing or kissing or... life. It was quiet. Silent. And the spirit realized what he had done. He went to the well, but it was too late. He watched over the bones. He watched as the man was reincarnated years later, just missing the reincarnation of the woman. For generations their reincarnated souls were unable to meet. But each of them, no matter when or where they were reincarnated, were drawn to the well.

It took five hundred years for a young woman to look down the well, and wonder about its secrets. She felt them calling to her. Looking down into its depths she thought she saw a... bone?

"How strange," she said.

When she leaned closer she lost her balance. Just as she screamed a hand shot out of nowhere and pulled her back. She looked up into eyes that she seemed to have known forever, but eyes she had never seen.

"Good morning," he said.

"Good morning," she replied.

He held her hand in his, and together they watched in surprise as the old well crumbled. It's secrets, they supposed, were its own.

Word Count: 497

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Inuyasha looked confused. "The spirit didn't get destroyed for killing them?"

"Um... no." She had tried to make certain that she didn't write about Kikyo, or about Naraku, or even about themselves. Five hundred words wouldn't have been near enough. Yet, somehow the story was still about reincarnation, two loves lost, and love found. Maybe she had been writing about them after all.

"He just got off with no payback? Not even a scar? No missing limbs?"

"Well... he felt really bad about it."

Inuyasha glared at the woods. She wondered if he thought he could find this made up spirit and seek a little vengeance on behalf of the made up couple.

"He did keep the well intact until they could meet again." Maybe it really was magic that kept the well together until they could meet. Would it keep working once everything was resolved? Would it let her and Inuyasha stay together forever?

"Feh."

"How else would wood last five hundred years without becoming unstable and fragile. He kept it working until they could be together at last, and have the happy ending they were meant to have." It had to let them stay together. She had to believe that.

"Magic?" Inuyasha asked.

"Well, yes I suppose."

He smirked. "Then I was right." He paused, then looked down at Kagome. "You know... a hanyou wouldn't die just by being pushed down some stupid well. We aren't weak like humans. Something stupid like that wouldn't keep us apart."

"HEY! I survived being pushed down the well too, you know." She glared.

"I said I was sorry for that!"

"You stuffed a tree in it to keep me out, Inuyasha!"

"You got back didn't you?" He started looking for a place to run.

"A TREE!"

"That was a long time ago, Kagome! Give me a break, let it go!"

Her eyes narrowed then she growled. "Wait one second! Did you just call my story stupid?"

"What?"

"You said 'something stupid like that'! You think my story is stupid!"

Instead of answering, Inuyasha got ready to bolt.

"Inuyaaashaaaaaa!"

There was the crashing of brush and tree limbs. Two voices yelling in the night.

"I wish they'd just get together already," yawned a sleepy voice. "Then we could all get some sleep."

"Mew," agreed Kirara.

Author's Notes: Thanks to OhBrother for the idea of a dictionary dare (oh so long ago...). I took the dare myself and picked two random words from a dictionary. I didn't cheat, I swear! The two words were 'bone' and 'secret', I actually laughed out loud when they came up.

This chapter was a particular pain to write. I had the bare bones (ha ha) of it together for quite some time. But all the middle stuff just didn't want to be written. Only six assignments to go!


	25. An Ode to a Wolf

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Ode to the Wolf

Assignment # 25: 

An Ode is generally a lengthy poem that glorifies a person, place, or thing. You will be writing a Horatian Ode. This will be a ten line stanza with a rhyme format of ABABCDECDE. You are required to write one stanza, though you may write up to seven. A single line often has anywhere from 10 to 14 syllables. Though the Horatian Ode traditionally depicts thoughts, feelings, and emotions, I will allow you to choose any topic that you feels deserves to be glorified. Within reason. When writing, keep in mind that an ode is meant to sing or chant. 

There are different types of odes. Find out information about one of these other types of odes and give me a brief description. 

Though I do not wish to inhibit your creative thought process, I must ask you to please keep your subject to a PG rated topic. Inappropriate topics will not be graded. If you have a question as to whether or not the topic is inappropriate, it probably is not appropriate.  


"The sun," suggested Miroku.

"The water," suggested Sango.

"The mountains!" suggested Shippo.

"Me."

Everyone turned to stare (in some cases glare) at Kouga.

Inuyasha didn't know why Kagome wouldn't let him kick the flea bitten wolf demon out of camp. There was no reason for him to be there. He was just using up resources (eating THEIR ramen!) and wasting their time. And NO WAY was he letting Kagome write a poem about HIM! Unless it was one of those villain poems... but Kagome had already explained that an Ode was a poem that glorified something or someplace or something. And he wasn't letting Kouga be glorified by Kagome! No!

Just no!

"OOOooooh! Write one about me, Kagome! Write one about ME!" The kit was getting on Inuyasha's last nerve. He was one step away from burying them all in the dirt and taking Kagome home. At least there he didn't have to deal with these morons.

This Ode poem had to be one of the worst assignments yet. It made people act like idiots. Preening stupid idiots! To make matters worse, Kouga and his lackeys were all hanging around and scavengering off their dinner when Kagome started talking about her assignment. Then they decided to hang around and make even bigger pests of themselves than usual. Why couldn't she ever be asked to write about the first time a half demon rescued her from being eaten?

Inuyasha reached for his sword when Kouga grabbed Kagome's hands.

"You must write one about the noble prince of the wolf demons," he said. "Promise!"

Kagome smiled uneasily at him, then looked at Inuyasha with a slight wince. ENOUGH! He grabbed Kouga's wrist and kept squeezing until he heard something pop and the wolf let go. His heart lurched and his world went wonky when he head Kagome agree to write a poem about the wolves as Kouga rubbed his wrist. Whaaaaaaat?

"Awwww, but why, Kagome?" whined Shippo.

Inuyasha wanted an answer to that question as well. What was Kagome THINKING? How could she... Or...no. That was impossible. Wasn't it? Kagome couldn't really be interested in Kagome could she? She doesn't really fall for his smooth words and stupid little gifts. Anyone could rip up a bunch of wildflowers and shove 'em at her. It didn't mean anything did it? She was smarter than that.

Though... she does always smile when the disease riddled wolf would bring her flowers.

And she always smiles when he calls her beautiful.

And she even let him have the very last cup of ramen...

Oh no...

No.

It WAS true!

Kagome was an idiot after all!

She actually fell for those stupid tricks!

He would tell her! He would let her know just how much that low down rotten wolf was tricking her into liking him so he could get her to become his so she would hunt for the jewel shards for him. He'd let her know that he was lying to her! He would let her know that he didn't mean anything sweet when he brings her flowers. That he was lying when he called her beauti... oh.

Oh. Yeah, skip that one. She'd sit him 'til his bones turned to mush. Idiot. She always took things the wrong way. If there was a wrong way to possibly take something, that's the way she'd take it.

From his crouched position (ready to spring between them if the wolf scooted one inch closer), Inuyasha looked at Kagome writing in her notebook by firelight. The slight curve of her lips as she wrote kept him from saying anything. For the first time, Kagome's smile caused his heart to feel like it was dying. He watched her glance up at the trio of wolves and grin, then go back to writing.

What was so great about the smelly wolf anyhow? Did Kagome want the showy-ness? Did she want flowers? But flowers are so... so stupid. They die so quick after you pick them. And it's not like they really need to cart around anything they don't really have to. But it sure made her smile. It makes no sense. Flowers are pretty much everywhere. If she wants one of the stupid things all she has to do is reach down and yank it up from the ground. What's the big deal?

And it was just wrong to tell her she's so beautiful in front of so many people. Something like that is personal. That's why no one takes the monk serious. He passes around compliments to any female he meets! They don't mean anything that way. Besides, she doesn't need anyone telling her she's beautiful. She has to know. She isn't blind or stupid.

"What's that word, sister?" one of the lackeys asked. Ginta maybe? Keh, did it matter?

"Nobility, Hakkaku."

So he was wrong. Wait... did she say nobility? NOBILITY? What was she writing? He tried to peek without looking like he was peeking, but he couldn't see the words.

"And that word?" asked the one who obviously must be Ginta.

"Smile," she told him with a smile of her own.

Okay. This had to stop. Really now. Writing poems about the smelly wolf with words like 'nobility' and 'smile'? No! This was... was... was INTOLERABLE! What was she THINKING?

"This one?"

"Strength. Guys, I really need to focus and get this finished. Give me five minutes and I'll read it to you."

His heart sank.

Strength, nobility, smile? This was the worst poem ever written in the whole history of poemness. Maybe he should go take a walk and cool off so he doesn't have to deal with Kouga's smug grin. He couldn't bear to hear Kagome fawn over the wolf. But he couldn't possibly leave her unprotected. Sango and Miroku were no help there. They didn't see the wolves as a threat. THEY thought they were allies. Didn't they remember that the first time they met Kouga, when his wolves still killed humans and that idiot wolf prince of theirs stole Kagome to keep for his own?

They have been through so much together. How could she write a poem about Kouga and not him? Not that he was wanting to have her be all mushy in front of everyone. But he was deserving of a little glorifying wasn't he? Surely more than that fleabag.

That wasn't a whimper was it? It didn't come from him did it? He scowled at everyone. The only one who gave him a second look was Kagome. She gave him an interesting smile. It was different than others. It wasn't his favorite one (the one that made him melt inside and made him think that she might be thinking about things he was thinking of but that neither of them should be thinking of). It wasn't the sympathetic one. Or the encouraging one. Or the one that was supposed to make him feel better whenever Kouga was around. Or even the one that looked liked really she would kill him if she could just get her hands on him and the clenched teeth was the only thing keeping her from lunging at him. No. This one was different.

It looked more like one of Shippo's smiles.

Not THAT was interesting. Interesting enough that he decided he didn't really need to take a walk after all. Just what was that girl up to? He watched curiously as she took a breath, read over the paper one more time, then stood up. First she quickly read to them what she wrote about other types of odes, the part of the assignment she had groaned about the most.

There are different kinds of odes. The Classic Ode has three parts, the strophe (the beginning), the antistrophe, and the epode (where it all comes together at a conclusion). There is also the Romantic Ode and the Irregular Ode. The Romantic Ode is sometimes said to follow the writing rule of "once you know the rules, you can break them". The Romantic Ode borrows from both the Irregular Ode (for structure) and the Homostrophic Ode (for the meditative quality). A Romantic Ode isn't necessarily about anything romantic. It generally talks about nature and focuses on an internal issue of some sort. At the end of the ode it brings the poem back to the beginning, to the original scene. This can be done by a decision, a vision, or an action.

She made sure to give everyone a hard look when talking about how the Romantic Ode wasn't necessarily romantic. Both Kouga and Miroku looked disappointed. Then she took a deep breath and started off the poem with two words:

Two Wolves

Two steps behind, no rest for them, no time  
Always running always chasing 'neath sun or moon

They follow him always, no reason, no rhyme

When their leader arrives, know they will be soon.

They have inside a certain nobility

With the faithfulness oh so blind

One has no other choice but to smile

For no matter their strength or ability

they fight for him and follow behind

On and on, day after day, mile after dusty mile.

The poem wasn't about Kouga at all! It was about Ginta and Hakkaku! Luckily he wasn't so caught up in his joy that he missed Kouga's face as he realized that the poem wasn't about him! Ha! He was crushed!

Okay, so his elation wasn't exactly as silent as he thought. Everyone turned and gave him a glare and tried to hush him, even Kagome (though he'd swear it was only half-heartedly). But it was sooooo worth it to see the expression on Kouga's face!

"Thanks for the dinner, my love," Kouga said as he stood and tried to take Kagome's hands. But Ginta and Hakkaku were already grabbing her hands with tears running down their cheeks thanking their 'sister'. "But it is time for us to go."

He snarled something at the wolves that froze them stiff, then crying as they chased after him.

"I liked your poem," said Shippo as they all coughed a bit at the stirring up of dust as Kouga disappeared from camp.

Kagome smiled at the kit, then she smiled at him.

This was, without a doubt, the best assignment she ever had to do!

HA!

Author's Notes:

See! I didn't forget that this story existed.

Believe it or not, I had to do a bunch of researching on the ode. There were many styles and many ways of doing them. That's probably what took so long for me to get the poem written, that initial decision of how I wanted to do it.

Just a reminder that this story wasn't originally intended to be a typical story. It was meant as a way to string together creative writing; either poems, stories, or something along those lines. So some chapters there will be less 'story' than in others.

Thanks a bunch to everyone who left such kind reviews. I really do appreciate them.


	26. The Face in the Mirror

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Face in the Mirror

Assignment # 26: 

Write a story that begins with this idea: You wake up one morning to find that the face in the mirror isn't yours. The story must be at least 500 words.  


"Kagome is mad at Inuyasha, again" Shippo whispered to Miroku as he helped clean up after the evening meal.

"She is NOT!" the hanyou growled.

At least... he didn't think she was. He hadn't yelled at her all day, and she hadn't yelled either. In fact, she had been unusually quiet. That should have been his first clue that something was wrong. What was worse, she had been refusing to look at him all day. And THAT bothered him. A lot. He'd tried to catch her eye a couple times. Several times really. Even tried teasing her and making her mad... but she always glanced away.

She did, however, have that stoooopid homework book of hers.

Just great. It was probably another stupid assignment by her stupid teacher designed to make Kagome feel bad about herself. Or worse! It made her think about things that she really shouldn't be thinking of because there is no reason to think about them because they aren't things worth thinking about! He really hated that school.

What torturous horrible demented assignment did they decide to force her to do to make the rest of them miserable THIS time!

"I hardly think that the assignments are 'demented', Inuyasha..." she said a little crossly.

Oops.

Well... so what if he had accidently spoken out loud? Big deal! It WAS a torturous horrible demented assignment and the DO make the rest of them miserable! And he couldn't wait until she was done with school!

"Keh," he said instead.

She sighed a heavy sigh. He hated it when she did that too. It felt like he had somehow disappointed her. He could protect her from dangerous demons... but he could never really figure out how to protect her heart. He just wasn't good at that sort of thing. He was learning though... day by day. Kagome was teaching him, whether she knew it or not. One day... one day he would know enough that he'd never hurt her again. He'd be a good...

He glanced at her, then glanced away as he felt his cheeks begin to burn.

One day... One day he'd be a good mate. Someone she deserved and could be proud of. One day he'd know the right words to make her stop sighing. One day he'd know just the things to say to make her smile.

"These assignments are stupid."

The day, however, was not today.

"Inuyashaaaaaaaa..."

He grimaced.

"SIT!"

He snarled as Kagome stomped off and Shippo laughed down at him. It was difficult to hear over the kit's laughter, but he was able to pick up the question Sango asked Kagome.

"So, what is this assignment about?"

She told them. Then cheerfully said she was going home and cheerfully said good-bye.

Then they all went quiet and watched her walk away with her yellow backpack. Not a cheerful one among them. They all glared at him before ignoring him and going about their business.

Even after the spell wore off, Inuyasha stayed in his spot and sighed heavily.

What did this teacher have against him? Why were these assignments DESIGNED to make Kagome upset with him? Wasn't it difficult enough for him to prove to Kagome that she was his without not only their friends casting doubt every time Kikyo's name was mentioned (or anyone so much as catches a glimpse of a stupid soul stealer), but also some stranger in another TIME?

So what if Kagome happened to look a little like Kikyo... sort of. At first glance, maybe. But she didn't really. Heck, after the first time he caught her scent there was nothing about them that seemed remotely the same. Everything about her is unique! Besides, what Kagome looks like isn't who she is. She could cut her hair and dye it purple and it wouldn't change how he saw her. It is what is on the inside that draws him to her. Her heart.

Why couldn't he think of the right things to say that would make her see that?

"Feh," he said instead.

As the others began settling down for the night, Inuyasha started walking towards the well. Surely by now, Kagome would have cooled down. Her quiet mood made sense now. Comparing herself to Kikyo was just stupid!

Growling angrily at himself, Kikyo, and all the teachers out there who were DETERMINED to make Kagome feel bad about herself, he jumped down the well.

Oddly, Kagome met him at the door. Smiling. It was disconcerting. She didn't seem angry... but sometimes she would smile even when she was about ready to blow up. Or blow things up. He followed her in and her mother greeted him warmly and made him welcome. Kagome's kid brother dragged him to the living room to show him his new video game. Her grandpa reminded him that the house was warded against evil demons, so he better watch his step.

He didn't ask her to go back. Honestly, he was a little afraid to. Besides, he liked being here sometimes. He liked being a part of her family.

"I'm going to bed," Kagome announced right after dinner. "I'm exhausted."

"Are you going to school tomorrow?" her mother asked.

She glanced at Inuyasha, then said, "Yes."

"Feh."

Letting her go back to that horrible school went against his instincts. But he didn't want to fight with her. Not today. She went upstairs, and he went outside, saying he'd sleep in the tree. The fact that there was a pillow and a folded up blanket on the floor by Kagome's bed let him know that her mother knew exactly where he would really be sleeping. Not that he would ever admit it to anyone.

Sometimes it bothered him that he was taking her away from the safety and security of her time. He felt guilty for taking her from her family. But he couldn't let her go either. _When the jewel is completed,_ he promised himself, _I'll bring her back if she wants. We'll live in whatever time she wants to_.

While she slept he allowed himself to think about the future. It wasn't a luxury he allowed himself often. But watching her sleeping so peacefully, he couldn't help it. He brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, and smiled when she sighed.

Then he saw her homework notebook. He picked it up and read.

oOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

oOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

I woke up this morning and looked in the mirror. At first I didn't understand what I was seeing. I put my hand to my face, and the girl in the mirror did as well. It shouldn't have been so startling, but it was. After all... I didn't recognize the girl who was looking back.

One girl has soft hands with painted nails. Hair brushed to a glossy sheesh. Perfumed and powdered and ready to start another school day. She smiles as she thinks about homework and boys, about going to the movies with friends.

One girl has hands with scars, nails bitten short. Hair a bit wild and a little ragged, like it hadn't seen a pair of scissors for a decent trim in a very long time. There was a nose sunburned and peeling, a scar on a shoulder, one on the belly, more perhaps, but I don't look too hard for them. I think I'd rather not know.

It is the eyes, though, that are so very different. The first has innocent eyes. But not the other. Not her eyes. Innocence has long been forgotten. Hers are eyes that have seen blood and pain, battles won, battles lost, and death.

I watch as she flips her hair and fixes her makeup. She smiles at a friend who walks in and they talk about boys. She talks about her date last Friday, and that they were going out this Saturday too. She just KNEW that he was going to ask her to go steady. They talk about homework and make plans to go to the mall and shop for new outfits. There was a new perfume she was dying to try on.

Dying to.

I remember using that phrase, just like the girl in the mirror. Like, if I didn't get this certain album, get this perfume, or if the guy in front row didn't like me then I'd just die. That if I didn't get some chocolate soon, I'd just die. But then I saw death. And I knew that perfume and chocolate may be wonderful things that can make me happy... they certainly won't be the cause of my death.

There are monsters and demons just waiting in line for that particular honor. But I fight.

The fighting is hard, though. Some days I don't think I'm going to see tomorrow. Some days I just know it is going to be my last. Luckily, that hasn't been the case... so far. But how many close calls can a person possibly have?

I look at the girl in the mirror in her clean clothes with her polished nails and neatly cut hair and wonder what life might have been like had that been me.

Would I value each day the way I do now? Would I be thankful that I was given the gift of life? Would I rejoice in the feeling of the sun or the rain or a nice cool breeze on a hot day? Would I embrace each day with a prayer of thanks and a determination to make the day count?

Yes, I fight. It's hard and painful and filthy and makes me tired and sore. But I don't fight alone. I have people by my side. Strong people. People who have loved and lost, and have the courage to still fight... and hopefully to love again. People who I love dearly, and with all my heart. I'm proud they are in my life, and I'm proud to fight by their side.

And even on the bloodiest, most terrifying days, I would not trade my life for the life living on the other side of that mirror.

For a moment she looks at me. And I think she sees me too. I wave goodbye to the girl with the innocent eyes, and I go back to the fight.

And I'm grateful for the day.

Word Count: 651

oOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

oOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

"Why did it make the teacher cry?" asked Inuyasha as he walked Kagome home from school. He wasn't surprised that she wasn't surprised to see him. After the second softball that was headed her direction during her sports class disappeared, she did yell out 'sit'... twice. And so maybe a couple of the guys who were hitting on her ended up somehow stranded on tree tops, she didn't have proof. Though she was a smart one.

Kagome looked around before whispering to him, "The teacher thought that I was being clever and speaking as if the demons and monsters were the illness (she made odd motions with her fingers when she said "illness", though he wasn't sure why) that I battle. She's nominating it for some award."

"Awards are good, right?"

Kagome sighed, "Well... yes... but I feel bad about it. Those demons are real demons, not illnesses. There are people who really are sick who are fighting every day to live. And it makes me feel like a ... a liar... and a fraud..."

"But you didn't lie. You do fight demons."

"Yes, but thats not what she thinks. And I hate that I'm lying."

"Did you ever say it was because you were sick? I thought it was your grandpa who calls you in sick. Doesn't that make him the liar?"

Kagome paused. Then she smiled at him in a way that made him feel like he just single handedly took down Naraku.

"Thanks."

Her story had made her nervous when he read it. He had felt so guilty that he had ruined her life. It killed him that he was the reason she had lost the innocence of never having seen death, or having had to kill. Kagome should never have had to live the way he had been forcing her to live all this time. But she said she wouldn't trade it. She said she was happy. Well, maybe not in so many words, but it seemed like she was. Or was she just happy to not be dead?

He wanted to talk to her about the story. Especially the end... the part where she said that she loved them. He wanted to ask if he was included. But in a way... not... Did she think of him the way she thought of Sango and Miroku? Or did she think of him... well... the way he thought of her? But he couldn't ask.

"Let's get back," he said instead.

It lightened his heart that she smiled at him.

He would make this up to her. He wasn't sure how. But when all this was over and Naraku is finally dead, he would make sure that Kagome would never regret that she was on this side of the mirror.

Author's Notes: This was an actual prompt from a creative writing prompt site that I happened to run across. I thought it sound fun, and pretty appropriate, and since it was the one I landed on out of nearly 350 prompts, I figured it was meant to be.


	27. Try Try Triolet

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Try Try Triolet

Assignment # 27: 

Your next assignment is the triolet poem. It consists of eight lines with only two rhymes used. The first line is repeated in the fourth and seventh lines. The second line is repeated in the final line. Only the first two end words are used for rhyming. So although there are eight lines, you will only be writing five lines. The rhyme scheme is ABaAabAB. Good luck!

"I'm so confused... this assignment makes no sense!" yelled Kagome as she slammed her notebook on the table.

She was about to bang her head on the table, but a hand appeared out of nowhere and cushioned the blow. With no satisfying bonk, Kagome sighed. She turned her head and looked at a very concerned looking Inuyasha. She would like to think that the concern was for her, but it was just as likely it was because he had just finished the last container of instant ramen. Sighing, she tried to decide if she should let her head stay lying in Inuyasha's warm, oddly comforting hand, or sit back up and start trying to figure out how to write a triolet.

When Inuyasha suddenly froze in mid slurp, possibly realizing that Kagome hadn't moved a muscle, she decided it might be time to move before he started freaking out. Though, interestingly enough, his hand didn't move an inch... and he seemed to be making a point of not looking directly AT her.

Interesting.

She couldn't bring herself to move... or breathe.

He cleared his throat. "What's wrong?"

Nothing.

Not a thing in the whole world.

"You don't have to write another poem about death, do you?"

With a heavy sigh, Kagome reluctantly sat up and turned her attention back to her notebook. There was a moment of panic when she wondered if she face had sweated or was oily. She was barely able to keep herself from touch her face to see. At least she wasn't wearing makeup. That might have left his hand with foundation or something on it. She lowered her eyes, trying to see if he was wiping his hand or anything. Instead, from the corner of her eye she saw Inuyasha gently flex his hand, right before shoving his hands into his sleeves to glare at her notebook.

"Um... no. But I do have to write a poem."

"So what's the problem? You've written lots of 'em. Just write a poem about... ramen."

Kagome groaned and once more let her head fall. And once again it never hit the table. "I haven't even thought about the subject! It's the style that has me going crazy!"

"Stop trying to hurt yourself. And tell me the style."

Kagome explained the style and pattern of the triolet... grumpily.

"What's so hard about that? Its three less lines you have to write! It should be easy."

"No, it makes it harder, because it has to make sense all the way through."

"Feh."

He took her notebook and opened it up to the blank page, then shoved it back at her. He shook the pen at her until she took it (rolling her eyes), then picked up his empty cup of ramen.

"Ramen makes my heart glad"

Kagome smiled and wrote it down when he stopped and glance back and forth between her pen and the paper half a dozen times. After she finished writing he looked satisfied and continued.

"It means everything to me."

Dutifully she wrote down her words, suddenly the assignment was a lot more fun. Writing about ramen may not be deep, but there was no reason why she couldn't use it.

"An empty cup, though, makes me sad.

Okay, odd line, but Inuyasha did have quite the obsession with the noodles after all. When no more words came forth, she looked up. Oddly enough, he was staring at her. His eyes a warm golden. He held her gaze only for a moment before looking back at the cup.

"Ramen makes my heart glad

Its everything good I never dreamed could be had.

Soothing, healing, a constant craving in me."

Kagome's heart stopped when his eyes found hers again. When it started again, it pounded in her chest. Her fingers shook a little as she wrote down the words. Could it be possible that Inuyasha... didn't mean ramen? Was it just her imagination? Could he mean...

"Ramen makes my heart glad

It means everything to me."

Kagome bit her lip to keep from asking the question she wanted to ask. Instead she nearly whispered, "It's beautiful."

It wasn't her imagination... his cheeks really did turn pink. But then he stood up.

"I should go."

"Wait... please." She grabbed the edge of his sleeve when he tried to walk past her. Her mind blanked when he looked back at her, eyes sad. "Inuyasha..."

"A hanyou's life... a hanyou shouldn't even think about having... ramen."

"Inuyasha..."

But he was already gone. The look in his eyes nearly broke her heart. Tears welled in her eyes.

No.

No crying.

Not now. She was pretty certain he had just told her the most important thing a person could say (oddly, without actually saying it...) and she wasn't going to sit here and let him walk away! Well, okay, she was going to let him walk away, but only until she could come up with something to let him know how SHE felt. THEN she was chasing him down!

Maybe it was time to let him know in no uncertain terms how she felt about him. That she would be by his side always. That... that she loved him.

oOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

oOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

"What's that, Inuyasha?" asked Shippo.

Inuyasha tucked the paper under his shirt next to his heart. It took him a moment to realize the fox kit was talking about the dozens of sacks overflowing with ramen. Ignoring the youngest member of their group, Inuyasha jumped into the god tree and re-read the poem Kagome had left for him in a bright red envelope.

The dawn will break, and rise will the sun

Alone you may feel, but alone you'll never be

You may fight and cry and feel you are done

The dawn will break, and rise will the sun

If you look around for love, but you find none

The heart you hold in your hands belongs to me

The dawn will break, and rise will the sun

Alone you may feel, but alone you'll never be

Author's Notes:

I know I know. Y'all are shocked to see an update on this story. I swear I didn't forget about it. I was simply waiting for the right assignment.

Just for kicks I've been giving myself some poetry "assignments". The one I used is actually a poem I wrote for a friend of mine. Well, I tweaked it just a bit to hopefully give it a more romantic twist. I thought it would work in with the storyline.


	28. Seussical

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Seussical

Assignment # 28: 

Write a story in rhyming verse. A story. With rhymes. This means that there needs to be a beginning, a middle, and an end. I would also like to see your silly side. Use nonsense made up words as if they were real (think Dr. Seuss). Be creative. Presenting it in book form complete with illustrations might just get you bonus points

"What is THAT?" asked Inuyasha as he tilted his head to the side and studied the drawing he snatched from Shippo's hands. "Is that supposed to be ME?"

"No," snickered Shippo, "It's an Idiotididdleyou."

"A what?"

Shippo hopped up and snatched his picture back. "I'M helping Kagome with her homework," he announced proudly.

Curious, Inuyasha followed the bouncing kitzune as he sang out strange words. There was a possibility that the kit was possessed.

Shippo spun around and asked. "Do you want green eggs and fish?"

"What? No! Green eggs are rotted... Baka. I thought you were smarter than that. Do you want to get sick?" He had a sudden jab of fear. "Kagome didn't eat those eggs did she?"

"Do you want it in a dish?"

"Throw those eggs away, Shippo! Is Kagome ok? Did she eat any of them? Did you POISON Kagome?!"

If Inuyasha could catch the bouncing brat he would strangle him.

"Would you eat it with a gouldother?"

"With a what? Who?" He snatched the drawing that Shippo had thrown in the air. It had a long skinny snake like neck with a beak like a bird but feet like a tiger. The oddest parts were the stars drawn all over the body.

"Would you eat it with your brother? Would you could you with your brother?"

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and studied the now spinning kitzune. "Just how many of those eggs did you eat? And what kind of eggs were they? Bird? Reptile? Demon?"

"Snarkle barkle larkle loo..."

"KAGOME!" Hopefully Kagome would recognize what kind of illness Shippo got. "NEVERMIND!" He didn't want Kagome anywhere near Shippo in case whatever it was he had caught was contagious. He watched those movie things on the television with Souta about contagious diseases that wiped out the whole planet leaving on things that ate a human's brains!

"Kitchy Key and Cootchie Coo..."

Slowly Inuyasha backed away from Shippo. What was he going to do with the kit? It would break Kagome's heart if they had to put him down. But he couldn't very well have Shippo going around eating people's brains! What if he tried eating Kagome's brains! She wouldn't heal fast enough to survive. But to put down Shippo...

"Going to eat a digadoo!"

Don't know what a digadoo was, but better it than Kagome. Or the others. Shippo burst out in giggles, and Inuyasha's skin began to crawl. The poor kid had gone insane from whatever disease this was. He took a breath and held it, hoping to keep the contagious disease from himself, then with his firerat robe safely covering his hand (in some of those movies the viruses moved through touch) he picked up the kit and held him high. It would be a quick death.

"Stars stars I want stars." the kit lifted up his shirt exposing his belly... truly it was a heartbreaking sight. "Who oh who wants stars on thars?"

No.

He couldn't do it.

He just couldn't do it.

Instead he tossed Shippo as far as he could. Hopefully it would give him enough time to warn the others, and to get Kagome home as fast as he could carry her. As he approached Kaede's hut he heard Miroku and Sango laughing. It was a shame that he had to interrupt them, there were far too few times where there was the chance. But they didn't have time to...

"Cats in hats?" asked Miroku.

"Cats in hats and elephants hatch eggs. And sneetches! And green grinches!"

Inuyasha sank down and hid in the shadows. It was too late. Miroku and Sango had been infected. Kagome... where was Kagome?

He sniffed the air.

He sniffed the ground.

He sniffed and sniffed.

All around.

He sniffed high.

He sniffed low.

Ah, Kagome!

Go feet go.

"Kagome!" He ran to her as fast as his feet would take him, pulling off his infected robes. He had to get her away from this place. If the movies were right (and how could they be wrong) the entire village would be infected by nightfall and searching for them. He had to take her far far away. He would find her some place that was safe. Somewhere far away from other people. At least she wouldn't have to worry about school. It might be kinda nice being just the two of them... In fact...

Inuyasha froze as he saw what she had in her hand.

Shippo's drawings.

Kagome...

Kagome... was infected.

She smiled and waved at him. He tried to summon a smile... he tried. His Kagome... His sweet kind wonderful Kagome... she was going to turn into a zombie. How could he have failed her like this? How had this happened? He hoped it didn't hurt. He hoped she wasn't suffering. Zombie's never turned back human. There wasn't a cure. There was only...

So what if she was a zombie? No one was shooting HIS Kagome in the head!

He'd find a way to feed her. Heck, they killed demons every day! She could eat THEIR brains! Or should he let her bite him and make him a zombie too? But then who would hunt down her food? Zombies are too slow. And he bet if there was a soft hearted zombie out there, it would be Kagome. Bet she couldn't kill someone for their brains if she tried.

"Inuyasha? Are you okay?"

Poor Kagome. She must be in the early stages.

"Feh." He waved away her concern. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

"Hurt?"

Gently he placed his hand on her forehead. Would she get a fever first? He couldn't remember how it started. "Do you need to sit down?"

"Um... I was just heading to Kaede's."

"NO!" He jumped in front of her path, panicked. Seeing the others already turned might frighten her, or worse, make her cry. It was for the best that she turned into a zombie fully before finding out the fate of their friends.

"No?"

"Uh... they are sick!" It was the truth. And no way was he letting on of those brain eaters near Kagome! No way!

"Sick?"

"Green eggs..." he said miserably.

To his dismay, Kagome perked up. "Oh! Green eggs! Sam I am!"

Inuyasha's heart broke. Already she was forgetting who she was He wrapped her tightly in his arms and buried his face in her hair. "Kagome... your name is Kagome."

She had been startled by the embrace, but soon she wrapped her arms around him as well. He said her name over and over, wanting to keep her with him for as long as possible. Kissing the top of her head he tried to memorize everything about her. Who knew how becoming a zombie would change her. Would it change her scent? He inhaled deeply. How could he live without her scent? He couldn't... He just couldn't.

"Inuyasha? Are you okay?" she asked from where she was pressed against his chest.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you," he said in a rough voice. "But I swear to you that I will spend the rest of my life taking care of you."

When she pulled back slightly with damp eyes she dropped what she was holding. As she tilted her head back and lifted her lips, Inuyasha noticed that there was a picture of a creature holding what appeared to be some green eggs with a green ham.

"What's that?"

Kagome blinked rapidly, looking slightly confused. Then she saw the book and bent down to pick it up.

"It is a book by Dr. Seuss," she told him, looking slightly annoyed at the book. "Though his real name is Theodore Geisel. I was reading it for my next assignment. The book is called 'Green Eggs and...'"

"... Fish."

"Uh... Ham, actually."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Did you read the book to Shippo?"

She smiled at him. "Yes! He said he would help me with the drawing part of the assignment."

"So... you didn't eat any green eggs for this... did you?"

"No... But my mom once made green eggs for me by adding some food coloring to it."

"And the nonsense stuff he was saying?"

"Shippo? Well, I guess he might have been trying to come up with some more nonsense words. Part of the assignment is to use nonsense words."

Inuyasha wasn't sure if he was more relieved than embarrassed, or more embarrassed than relieved. Kagome wasn't a zombie... he was more relieved than could be believed.

"It is harder than I thought to make up nonsense words that would actually make sense in a story," she told him, unaware that he was a bit dizzy from the rush of adrenaline. "I've spent more time on this than any of my other assignments, and it should have been the one that was easiest!" She peered up into his eyes, growing a little concerned. "Are you okay?"

Inuyasha let out a sound that was half a laugh and half something he didn't really want to examine too closely, then he closed his eyes and rested his forehead on Kagome's head for a moment. He breathed her in deeply.

She wasn't a zombie.

She was alive.

"Do you want to hear what I have so far?"

"Yes." He knew he was weirding her out a little bit by acting so strange. But he just needed a moment while the world righted itself again. "Keh... if you have to."

She (reluctantly maybe?) pulled away from him to re-arrange the papers. It looked like she was trying not to blush, but not doing a very good job of it. And that, of course, made him blush. Quickly he crossed his arms and tucked his hands into his sleeves so he wouldn't reach out for her again. He didn't want to scare her off or anything.

"When I get home I'm going to staple these together with a stiffer kind of paper on the front and back so it looks a little bit more like a real book," she explained as she straightened the papers.

oOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

In the dark

In the dark

In the scary darkest dark

Hiding under covers in the darkest of the dark.

Gazoogles grumble

Cagmires cackle

Woodles go whacky

As yelling goes the Yackles.

In the dark

In the dark

In the scary darkest dark

Shivering under covers in the darkest of the dark.

Skarlies screech

And the Yowlings yowl

The Buzzbees run around

Yelling "FOUL!"

In the dark

In the dark

In the scary darkest dark

Curled in a ball in the darkest of the dark.

There's a squawk

And a squeak

And I have

To take a peek

In the dark

In the dark

A peek in the dark

At the toughest of the tough of the daemons in the dark.

With teeth so sharp

And fuzzy pointed ears

Claws like razors

I burst into tears

The Gazoogles are grumbling as the Cagmires cackle

The whacky ol' Woodles and the yelling of the Yackles

The Skarlies are screeching and Yowlings are yowling,

And those Buzzbees are running around "FOUL"-ing!

And all I want to do

Is get some sleep

But the noise, oh the noise!

Then the toughest of the tough of the daemons makes a peep.

"Feh."

With a flex of the claws

And one little growl

And everyone hushes

Not one little yowl.

The Gazoogles don't grumble

And Cagmires don't cackle

The Woodles go silent and the Yowlings don't yowl

And those Buzzbees don't even whisper "foul".

And I sleep

In the dark

In the darkest of the dark

With the toughest of the tough keeping watch in the dark.

oOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Inuyasha frowned as Kagome finished reading. Slowly he took the pages from her hand and looked at them. Then he looked at Kagome with concern.

"You haven't been getting sleep?"

He wondered what was so funny as Kagome fell backwards in the grass as she burst out into laughter. With a smile he watched as she giggled and laughed.

Green eggs hadn't turned her into a zombie. Kagome was alive.

Life... life was good.

Though if he ever ran across a Gazoogle or a Cagmire or any of those other things pestering Kagome, they were good as dead.

oOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOo oOOooOOoo

Author's Notes:

Thanks to RiddleRaven for the idea of having a Seuss type of prompt! Considering he's one of my favorite authors (admitted in front of peers in English classes thank you very much), I'm a bit ashamed of myself for not thinking of it first. It took me forever to write this chapter! Dr. Seuss I am not.

Not really sure where the zombies came from though...


	29. Liars and Rule Breakers

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Liars and Rule Breakers

Assignment 29:  


Choose one of the following to write about.  


1. List 5 things you've lied about. Write about the biggest lie you've ever told. Write about how you think it affect other people.  


2. List 50 things you'll never do. Write a mini story (100-250 words) that starts with the sentence: "And they had nothing to say to each other" using one of those things you listed as a basis for the story.

3. List 20 rules you've broken. Write about why you broke the rules.

"I don't like this assignment," Inuyasha said as he glared suspiciously at the paper Kagome was reading from. "It's trying to trick you into saying something to get you in trouble."

Kagome just BARELY refrained from calling her beloved friend and companion Captain Obvious. "It does seem that way," she agreed instead.

"I don't like any of them," Shippo grumbled.

"It seems an odd assignment for creative writing."

"Yeah, I think so too, Sango," Kagome said as she started cleaning up after their dinner.

The day had been a typical one for the group. Demons attacked, demon guts rained from the sky, Inuyasha got sat, and the girls demanded they stop for baths. Miroku peeked, Inuyasha got caught when he hit Miroku, Inuyasha got sat, and the girls demanded hot food and rest when it got too dark to go on.

It wasn't until after dinner that Kagome even gave her assignment another thought. It did seem awfully suspicious. And she didn't really see how it was creative writing, well, the second option counted. The other two seemed to be only things to get them in trouble. It seemed just a little underhanded.

"Five lies seem to be the quickest way to finish the assignment," Miroku suggested as he warmed his hands at the fire.

"Feh," snorted Inuyasha, "Sure, if she wanted that detention thing. They want to catch her in a lie so they can punish her!" His fists thumped against the branch he was sitting on, raining leaves upon them. "I ain't gonna let that happen!"

Kagome looked down at her paper so he couldn't see her grin. Sometimes he was just too cute. But she did agree with him. It did seem like a trap.

"I don't know," she said playfully. "I could think of a few lies I've told that probably wouldn't get me in trouble. I once told my brother that the cinnamon toast he made last year tasted delicious, when it actually tasted terrible. I think he forgot the sugar."

Inuyasha peered down at her curiously. When cocked his head to the side she giggled a little inside. "Why didn't you just tell him the truth? Then next time he made it he'd know how to make it right."

"Well, said Kagome, "I was really sick that winter, and he had worked so hard on making me something to feel better. I just couldn't hurt his feelings like that. Haven't you ever lied to keep their feelings from being hurt?"

"Feh, I don't lie."

"What about when you called Kagome ugly?" asked Shippo as he stuck out his tongue.

"Shut up, brat."

"Shippo has a point," argued Miroku. "Did you lie, or did you really believe that lady Kagome was ugly?"

Kagome saw all their eyes glare up at him. She looked up too. It was highly unlikely that Inuyasha actually thought she was ugly. After all, didn't everyone think she looked a lot like Kikyo? And he certainly didn't think SHE was ugly. Or was the ugliness he saw the parts of her that did NOT look like the deceased miko?

"Feh," he crossed his arms. "You lie all the time, Miroku. Like you can talk about lies."

"Lie? Me?"

"Coming on to all those women asking them to have your kids, when everyone knows why you really ask them."

"And why," the monk asked calmly, "Do you think I ask them that? I do want to have children. I want children before the wind tunnel..."

"Yeah yeah, before it consumes you. I know."

"Inuyasha!"

"What?" He looked down at Kagome innocently. "Maybe in the beginning he might have meant it. But not since Sango joined us. Since then every time he asks another woman it's a lie. He just wants the slayer to smack him."

Kagome coughed. Inuyasha dropped down next to her and began patting her back gently.

He explained gently as he continued to pat, "But Sango lies too, so it's all..."

"I DO NOT!"

"Feh. You lie all the time."

"WHAT?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You say you're okay when you aren't. You slap Miroku when you really want..." he stopped talking when Kagome tugged on his sleeve and shook her head. "Uh... him to uh... stop."

He hid behind Kagome and nervously started patting her back again as Sango looked like she might be ready to give slaying a half demon a try. Kagome quickly decided to change the subject before there was bloodshed.

"I could always write about the twenty rules I've broken."

Inuyasha stopped hiding behind Kagome from Sango's wrath and plopped beside her to study her face. "I don't believe you have broken ten rules, much less twenty."

"She's friends with you," teased Shippo. "That's breaking ten rules right there!"

Inuyasha fell silent.

Kagome found his hand and held it, out of sight of the others. He was surprised, but he didn't pull away. Shifting slightly he was able to hide their hands behind the sleeve of his robe.

"I doubt that's a rule," she said as she scolded the kit, "But even if it was, I wouldn't have any problems breaking that rule. Sometimes you have to break rules. Rewrite them maybe. Make your own rules." She scowled at the fire and grumbled, "Sometimes rules are just too stupid to follow..."

Sango looked amused now. "I broke the rules," she said, "When I was told that young ladies should not be demon slayers."

"I broke the rules when I fell in love with a woman, knowing that I should not."

Kagome sighed dreamily when Miroku said that, causing Inuyasha to growl.

"I broke the rules by traveling with a hanyou," said Shippo. "Most pure demons wouldn't be traveling with half demons and humans."

"Mew!"

"Ow! She bit me!"

"Kirara!" Sango only partly scolded. Sort of.

"Yeah, well I broke the rules by taking in a brat like you!" He looked away, taking his hand away from Kagome's grasp when he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Actually," said Kagome softly, "You probably broke rules by taking me along too. Any of us really." She rocked to the side and bumped her shoulder to his before she grinned at him. "But aren't you glad you did?"

"Keh. That was only one rule. You'd have to come up with nineteen other rules you've broken."

"I went to bed without brushing my teeth once. What? It was a rule."

"That's not a real rule," Inuyasha scoffed.

"Ha! Tell that to my mother!"

"Feh," Inuyasha scoffed, "If you write that one down t will be the most pathetic assignment you've ever done. You can't do the lying one, that's just a trap."

Kagome sighed. She couldn't even get mad about the 'pathetic' comment, because it was probably true. Besides breaking the rules of physics by traveling to the past in a world filled with demons, allowing her grandfather to lie for her about being ill, and letting her friends believe she was sick... there weren't many rules she had broken. She also agreed that the one on lying really was a trap.

She sighed heavily, more dramatically than was necessary, when she realized that the only option left to her was the absolute longest one. Likely that was intentional. Probably some sort of punishment for not falling for the teacher's evil trickery.

"So... I guess I need a list of 50 things I'll never do." Her mind was blank. It seemed a rather depressing topic. She looked around at her friends, seeing in their faces what they thought they would never do. It wasn't difficult to guess.

Miroku felt he would never live to see his children be born.

Though his attempts at finding someone to help with that child seemed to have halted. No one but Sango for him. Kagome looked at Sango. She would definitely be having his kids. They would be adorable rascals... at least until they would be old enough for her to train. Then they would be deadly demon assassinating adorable rascals. Miroku may not think that he will live to see his children born, but he was wrong. The WOULD defeat Naraku. He WOULD be cured. Unless, of course, Sango killed him first...

Sango felt she would never long enough to have children.

Without a doubt, the demon exterminator knew she was going to give her life to defeat Naraku. But no way was that going to happen! They would defeat Naraku and none of them would die. NONE! Somehow... somehow they would make it happen. Kagome had faith.

Shippo felt that he would never be a part of his family once they disappeared after the battle.

It was a secret fear he didn't talk about much, but she could hear him talk in his sleep sometimes. He worried that Kagome would go back to her own time, that Miroku and Sango would go off together with Kirara to create their own family, and that Inuyasha would leave on his own. Kagome worried about what might happen to her after the battle. There were no guarantees that whatever magic allowed her to travel here would allow her to continue to let her through. But what she did know was that Shippo would never be alone. They were a family. All of them. Shippo would always have a place in this family... even if Kagome was back in the future.

Inuyasha felt that he would never truly be loved as a hanyou.

Well, THAT was obviously stupid. He didn't know just how much he was loved. By all of them, even Shippo who continues to tease him. He is loved as a brother and a father, a leader and a friend. And Kagome loved him with every fiber of her being. One of these days he would figure it out.

"Number one," Kagome announced cheerfully to get rid of the grim faces around the camp fire, "I will never go to bed without kissing my children goodnight." She leaned over and gave Shippo a loud kiss on the top of his head. He grinned up at her.

She held up two fingers. "Number two, I will never give up hot baths. Bubbles are negotiable. Number three, I will never intentionally hurt a friend. Number four, I will never choose strawberry ice cream over vanilla ice cream. Number five, I will never... um..."

"Never stop loving ramen."

Kagome smiled at Inuyasha, happy to see him give her a small smile back. It was nice to see him relax. Even better to see him smile. It was something he didn't do often enough. Plus he was really heart stoppingly adorable when he smiled.

"I will never stop learning new tricks!" Shippo jumped up and tossed a leaf in the air, when the smoke cleared he looked like a rock. The illusion didn't last very long.

"I will never stop pursuing the lovely Sango's heart."

"I will never stop slapping you when you touch me inappropriately in public!"

Kagome glanced away before she smiled at Sango's words. She was certain that Miroku would pick up on the fact that Sango said "in public". Just how intentional was that?

"I will never stop trying."

This time Kagome laughed, but so did everyone else. Throughout the night they talked about the things they would never do. Some she wrote down, some she just couldn't (the teacher would send her back to the school counselor if she wrote that she would never torture a demon before killing it). The numbers were piling up as she split her time between the increasingly silly/disturbing list and the story.

"Fifty... I will never stop being grateful for my friends and family."

Shippo clapped cheerfully. "Will you read us the story you wrote to go with it?"

Kagome blushed. Hopefully it wasn't too noticeable in the dimming firelight. "I don't know Shippo... it's getting kind of late... and the story was kind of rushed..."

"Pleeeeeease?"

She sighed, and as always, let the kit have his way. This was one time Inuyasha wasn't going to complain though. Occasionally the brat comes in handy.

And they had nothing to say to each other. Everything had just been said. 

He was a jerk. She was ugly. He was an idiot. She was stupid. They hurt each other with words, trying to make their own pain disappear. Angrily they turned to go their separate ways. 

In three steps they will have made their choices and there would be no going back. She would never know how it would feel to be held by him. He would never know how gentle her kiss could be as she woke him every morning. She would never know how deeply he could love. He would never know the same.

In three steps the hurt would be too great, forgiveness too hard. In three steps they will have made a decision that could not be taken back. Their paths may continue to cross in life, but it would never be the same. The moment would be lost. Their chance gone.

In three small steps.

Or they could turn, right now, and take three small steps to each other's arms andsay, "I will never stop trying."

It's just three small steps.

190 words

Predictably, Sango sighed, Miroku smiled encouragingly, Kirara mew'd, and Shippo told her she was brilliant. Then, as one, the group turned to look at Inuyasha accusingly.

"Feh."

With a blush, Kagome put away her homework and climbed into her bedroll. She turned her back to the dog demon and faked sleep. Faking sleep he didn't mind, he had been known to do that on more than one occasion. But it bothered him tremendously that she had turned from him. Was she angry? Sad? Embarrassed? Hurt?

Did she really think that their bond was so fragile that her walking away from him after a fight could possibly push them apart? Did she have so little faith in him? Surely she knew that she was everything to him. Surely she knew that nothing she could say or do could make what he feels for her go away.

She knew that, right?

She had to know it.

Every day he tells her in the only way he knows how. Words are easy. Simple. Promises easily broken and words of praise completely meaningless. Take the monk for example. He tells talks pretty to lots of girls, used to proclaim his love for any passable female of age. But they are just words. And besides, he wasn't really good with pretty words.

But he told her every day that he would take care of her. Food, shelter, safety. She was his to take care of. His to feed. His to give shelter to. His to keep safe. He would give his life for hers, for his life would mean nothing if she were gone.

She knew that, right?

She had to.

But she was human wasn't she? Her senses not as keen. Would she need pretty words? But he was so bad with words!

He watched her from his tree branch until he knew she was no longer faking it. His heart warmed when she turned towards him again in her sleep. When he was sure that no one would wake, he silently dropped down to the ground and knelt beside his mate.

"I did lie," Inuyasha whispered. "I never thought you were ugly."

He brushed her hair from her eyes, making the most of the rare opportunities to just look at her.

"And I will never stop trying."

oOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOo oOOooOOoo

Author's Notes:

I will never leave a story unfinished (unless I die, then it is totally not my fault).

I will never turn Inuyasha into a villain.

I will never turn Kagome into a villainess.

I will never write a story with a depressing end.

I will never blackmail readers into leaving feedback by holding chapters hostage.

I will never stop being grateful and cheered by reviews.

Hey, just in time for New Year Resolutions! Though my resolutions this year will be to try something I've never tried before at least once a month.

Only one more assignment to go!


	30. Doggerel

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Doggerel

Assignment # 30:

**Doggerel**is a derogatory term for verse considered of little literary value. The word probably derived from_dog_, suggesting either ugliness, puppyish clumsiness, or unpalatability (as in food fit only for dogs) in the 1630s. A Doggerel may have any or all of the following traits typically considered failings in poetry: trite, cliché or overly sentimental content; imprecise rhymes; misordering of words; trivial subject; or the inept handling of a subject.

For your last assignment, take a cliché or a trivial subject, and write a poem about it. Any length or style. It is your chance to either create a doggerel and turn it into a poem of little literary value, or turn it into your own literary piece of abstract art.

"How long do you plan on glaring at your homework, Lady Kagome?"

"Did Kagome just growl at Miroku?" asked Shippo.

Paper crumpled in Kagome's fist. "It's nothing. Just one last silly assignment."

"If it were indeed nothing," Miroku said gently, "You would not be..."

"I said it's nothing!" The young miko shoved her books and papers into her bag. "I'm going home. I'll turn in this last assignment and be done with it all."

"Wait!" called Sango. She took a step back as Kagome's aura flared to life, apparently ready to scorch anyone who tried to keep her from going home. "Kirara would be happy to take you."

"Mew!"

Kagome sagged a little as she relaxed and smiled. "Sure. Thanks Kirara."

Inuyasha watched as Kagome hopped onto the firecat's back and they flew towards the village. He didn't fight her going to her time, this last assignment and she would be done with that class and she wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. Though he would miss it. Kagome tended to reveal a lot of her thoughts and emotions when she wrote. Some of the assignments had given him... hope. He watched until she disappeared, then felt it was safe to open his hand.

"How'd you get that?" asked Shippo, peering at the crumpled assignment.

"Feh."

The two looked at the paper in confusion, trying to understand what some of the words meant.

"What's "derogatory" mean?" asked the curious fox.

"I believe that means to express a low opinion about something," Miroku said. "Something demeaning or degrading. Detracting."

"Lot of de words..."

"It means something very uncomplimentary, Shippo."

Shippo snickered a bit. Then he read on and began to laugh. Inuyasha let the paper drop and the fox kit grabbed it and laughed some more. Curious about what made their youngest companion break out into the giggles, Miroku took the paper. He smoothed it out and read it, cringing by the end of the first sentence. Sango snatched the paper away and read it.

"Shippo!" she scolded. "Kagome would be ashamed."

"Feh. Whatever." Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and stretched. "Gonna go for a run."

The others looked at him knowingly, which was irritating. He grabbed the paper back from the still laughing youngster and stuffed it into the front of his robes.

"Wench forgot her homework."

He tried not to listen to Shippo howling in laughter about dogs as he ran just west of the well, so the others wouldn't know where he was going. When he was far enough away he turned back towards the well. To Kagome.

Ugliness.

Puppyish.

Clumsy.

Unpalida... Unpal... not fit for dogs to eat.

Unworthy.

Kagome loves him... doesn't she? She's never said he was ugly. In fact, he could remember several times when she called him cute! Clumsy? Feh. Puppyish, well, she sometimes seemed to think so. Unfit... unworthy... No. She couldn't think those things about him. She wouldn't. Would she?

No no, of course not. Those assignments, those stories and poems... they told him how she really felt. She loves him.

His feet flew as he raced for the well. He had to see Kagome.

He had to know.

The world was a blur as he dashed to the well and through time. Without breaking stride he raced to the tree that led to her window. Going to the front door was out of the question. He would have to take time to say hello to her mother and fend off the old man and dodge the kid... usually he didn't mind and it was kind of nice. But right now all he wanted was to be with Kagome. To look in her eyes and know that she sees him, not a... a doggerel.

His heart beat fast as he sat on the branch outside of her window and watched her write in her journal. She was smiling. Was that a good sign or a bad sign? Should he wait until she was finished? Should he storm in there and make her listen to all the reasons why he would prove himself fit and worthy of her?

After she finished school like he once promised her mother, of course.

He sat there and watched her write. She was beautiful. Not just her face or her hair or her eyes or anything like that. Anyone's outsides can be beautiful if what Souta said about plastic surgeons was right, plus there were always spells. But Kagome had the most beautiful soul of anyone he had ever met. And her scent wrapped around him and calmed him, centered him, made him feel like he finally found his home. He watched as she tucked her hair behind her ear and continued to write.

He had seen her neck countless times, yet this time it felt... different. More... well, more like there should be some sort of chaperone around to keep him from doing something utterly stupid.

Then she glanced up and saw him.

And smiled.

He hadn't known he was so tense until his body relaxed at that smile. Quietly he opened her window and let himself in.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi."

She frowned when she saw the crumpled assignment that he dropped on her desk. He didn't say anything. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to ask.

"So... working on your poem?"

Kagome had the nerve to grin up at him as she waggled her pencil above her paper in response. Her grin only grew as he paced nervously around the room trying to find the right words to ask her about her poem. Words were not his strong suit, at least not the kind that keeps him out of trouble. How would Miroku... no, not Miroku... how would Sango ask her... no no no... baths always seemed to be her solution... and he wasn't' quite ready to think about... that... Great... now he was thinking about it...

"Inuyasha?"

"What?" he squeaked defensively.

"Are you okay?"

"I wasn't thinking anything!"

"Ooookay... "She turned back to her homework. Then she put down her pencil and turned around in her chair. "Actually, now I'm just very curious."

"Feh."

"Inuyaaaashaaaa..."

"Wait! No!"

"SIT!"

With more good humor than he had seen her in when staring up at her from the rather humiliating position of being 'sat', Kagome sat next to him and grabbed a lock of his hair. She then proceeded to tickle his nose with that lock of hair.

"KAGOME!"

"Tell meeeee."

"No! Kagome stop it!"

"Feh."

Inuyasha's forehead hit the carpet as he hid his laugh. She did a fair imitation of him. The magic let him loose, but he stayed face down on the carpet as Kagome played with the lock of hair she had not yet given up possession of. Hopefully she would never find out that such a simple thing had much more power than any magic spell. He was content to just be by her side, though he was afraid that if he moved or even breathed too hard she would remember she was playing with his hair and stop.

"Yes," she told him eventually, "I finished my doggerel poem." She smiled. "At least I think it is a doggerel. It is all a bit confusing."

Taking a chance, Inuyasha turned his head slightly so that he could look at her. Sadly, she dropped his lock of hair. He sighed heavily and pushed himself up into a sitting position.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

She stared at him hard, as if she were trying to figure something out. She bit her lip, and he began to fidget. Was it bad? Was she embarrassed to tell him what she wrote? How unpalalbl... unpala... uh... how much she didn't like that kind of poem? Would she make connections between a doggerel poem and a dog demon? It was a bit of a stretch... but then again, Shippo caught on to it real quick.

Closing her eyes, Kagome took a deep breath and let it out slowly. When she opened them again she looked uncertain, and a bit nervous. Since she would never hurt him on purpose, it must be pretty bad.

"Would you like to hear it?"

His voice couldn't be trusted, so he nodded instead. Maybe grunting a little. As if something so very VERY important didn't really matter at all.

Kagome got up to go to the desk and he followed. She motioned to the bed for him to sit on, and he did. Surprisingly, she looked more nervous than he felt.

"Er... could you... um... close your eyes?"

"What?"

"Close your eyes. I can't do this with you watching.

He closed his eyes. "Whatever."

It was fine with him. With his eyes closed he could still picture her standing there, in a way able to look at her without being caught looking at her. Her scent wrapped around him and her voice made his heart beat faster. She started out a little shaky, and with a poem he had overheard many times while visiting her time.

oOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Roses are red

Violets are blue

Such power and grace and awesome strength

Have you.

Your eyes are like the sun

Your hair like the moon

Your temper like a bursting volcano with lava pouring out and lots of smoke

Your ears so cute

Your arms protect

Your hands hold firm

Your feet carry us safely

Your mouth however tends to get you into a lot of trouble

But every day you learn

An Ode to joy

A summer's day

As midnight loves the moon

Counting ways I love you

I love you more today

Tomorrow I will love you more.

Every poem

So trite and cliché

Mean more now that I know I love you

So it doesn't matter what others say

Their opinions don't matter anyway.

So there.

You are my strength

My hopes

My dreams

My happily ever after.

My love.

oOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Halfway through the poem he had opened his eyes in wonderment. He watched her as she read from the paper without looking up. His heart was beating so hard he thought it was going to beat out of his chest. He didn't dare to hope...

She loved him?

SHE loved him?

She loved HIM?

She LOVED him?

She loved him!

The poem ended and she still didn't look up. She looked... scared. He felt like laughing and crying and yelling for joy.

"Kagome..." he whispered huskily. Somehow he stood beside her, unaware of when he had moved. Slowly she raised her eyes to his.

"Inuyasha..."

"I was picturing you bathing!" he blurted out.

"WHAT?"

She took a step back at the same time he leapt back and he began to get a little frantic. Well, more than a little frantic. Why did he say that? WHY? Great, just great. He couldn't have messed that up more if he had Shippo 'helping' him.

"No no! I mean I pictured us!"

"INUYASHA!"

"Wait! No! I meant earlier when you wanted me to tell you what I was thinking when really I was just trying to find the right words to say but couldn't so I tried thinking what other people would say so I wouldn't sound so stupid when I tried to say what I needed to say but I knew Shippo would just say something to make me sound stupid anyhow and Miroku would make me say something perverted and Sango and you are always going on about baths and then I started thinking and its MIROKU'S FAULT!" He would have sworn to her that he never thought those things, but he didn't like lying to Kagome. She could usually tell.

"Uh..." She looked back down at her paper, then back at him, looking very confused.

Now he began to panic.

Should he run? Would he make it back to the well before dying of embarassment? Would she sit him in mid leap to the tree from her window? Would she use her miko powers in purify him?

"What did you want to tell me?" she asked instead of vaporizing him into dust.

He was so relieve he wasn't thinking when he blurted out, "That I love you."

Her eyes widened, and so did his.

"Wait! Wait! No!"

"No?"

"Yes! I mean no. I mean I meant to say it different. I just need the right words. I don't want to sound stupid, I..."

But Kagome's lips were on his, and every trace of thought left his head.

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Author's Notes: Thanks to Viper003 for the suggestion of the Doggerel poem. There is one last chapter! A bonus assignment that I just have to write. It isn't that I'm just reluctant to let this story go... really...


	31. Extra Bonus Points

Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Extra Bonus Points

Extra Bonus Points Assignment:

For extra bonus points, you may choose to write a descriptive essay. Use as much detail as you can. I want you to paint a picture with your words. I want to see what it is you see. You may use anywhere from 50 words to 5000 words to paint your picture.

"I see eyes the color of the rising sun," Kagome said softly as she wrote. Of course, she wasn't looking at the paper while she wrote, so it was unlikely the words were actually there in any real readable form. But it didn't really matter. Not to her. "Sometimes they get warmer, sometimes I think they may actually make me melt."

Inuyasha blushed. But this time he didn't have a rude reply, and he didn't race off to escape facing the feelings he held for Kagome.

Of course, there was no one around to tease him here. They left Kagome's house, but didn't go back to the past. He did, however, give her a piggy back ride to race her to the mountains. She had been smart enough to pack a blanket and some food. A picnic lunch. For two. He found a secluded spot that felt far enough away from the world that they could finally... talk.

This time there was no way there would be interruptions!

There was, however, still homework it seemed.

"I hope our pups have your eyes," he murmured as he bravely brushed a lock of hair away from her face. That small motion had taken all of his courage. Her smile, however, made it worth it. He wasn't sure what to do with his hands after that, so he tucked them back in his sleeves.

"Pups?"

His eyes widened in fear. He hadn't meant to mention pups. Not so soon. And not when they were well... so secluded. She was going to think that he was worse than Miroku!

"I hope they have your ears," she said gently as she reached up and lightly touched an ear. It twitched at the touch, but he didn't pull away. "And your hair," she tugged on a lock of silvery white. "I love your hair."

"I hope they have your smile." Inuyasha gave her a small smile of his own. His hands came out from the protection of his sleeves, letting them rest on his knees, close to hers. "I can't explain it right... but it makes my whole world right. Like it doesn't matter what anyone has EVER said or done, as long as you smile. It fixes me. The things that seem all wrong inside... your smile fixes. Makes me feel... whole." He snorted, "Feh. I never say things right."

Kagome leaned forward and kissed him sweetly on the lips, putting her hands on his. "No," she told him as she sat back on her heels facing him, but not moving her hands, "You say things absolutely perfect."

Inuyasha bent his forehead to touch hers. He liked the connection, plus it his the blush rising up his neck and on his cheeks. He turned his hands so his palms touched Kagome's. Slowly they let their fingers entwine. It felt like the best of dreams that he was able to do such a thing. He wasn't entirely sure he was awake. But if he was asleep, he wasn't planning on trying to wake up anytime soon.

Kagome ducked her head after a few minutes and let go to pick up her journal once more and begin to write. Instead of being angry, Inuyasha was intrigued by the blush she was sporting, and the way her eyes softened. He liked being able to look at her. He let himself relax.

"I'm sure the forest and the mountains are beautiful, but with you sitting next to me they are simply a green and brown backdrop. All I can see is you. You are smiling. No... grinning. Leaning back wearing your red hakama and your white shirt. Thank you for letting me borrow this, by the way."

He blushed. "You looked cold."

That and wearing his clothes put his scent on her. And when he did eventually get it back, the cloth carried her scent. Sometimes when she would leave for her time, he could still imagine her scent on his firerat robe. It looked like a dress on her, covering no less than the skirts she usually wore. He supposed that he might possibly be marking her... Might have been for a very long time.

"You are beautiful, and you smell good."

Inuyasha was surprised. Wasn't HE supposed to tell HER that?

"What?"

"You smell like the woods," she told him. She set the notebook down and scooted closer to him. To his amazement, she leaned forward and SMELLED him! "You smell like the wild. Like excitement and adventure. Like the forest and the rivers. Like the earth and the sky."

"Kagome..."

She took his right hand and held it in hers. "Your hands are rough from fighting, hard as steel... but always so gentle with me."

Inuyasha was torn between wanting to hide his hands and letting Kagome hold it until.. well... forever really. He had never dreamed anything as wonderful as this, he hadn't dared. He wished he knew what to do or what to say. He wasn't smooth and charming like Miroku. He wasn't witty and playful or romantic. He really didn't want to mess this up, though. And that made him more nervous than anything.

Covering her hands with his left hand, he leaned forward and rested his head on her shoulder. He needed her strength. He needed her love. He needed... her.

Forever.

But Naraku was still out there. Their lives were still in danger. If loving her meant it placed her life in danger... he couldn't. He couldn't do anything to risk her life. Nothing else in the world mattered but her.

"Naraku..."

Kagome sighed, sagging just a little. Then she removed her hands from his, and wrapped her arms around him.

"I know. But there will be an 'after Naraku', Inuyasha."

"I swear it." His arms wrapped around her tightly. "After he's finished I swear it."

"I love you, Inuyasha." she whispered into his hair as they held each other.

"I love you, Kagome. When this is over, when Naraku is dead I mean, then I want... I mean, if you want... I want us to be together."

Kagome chuckled, pressing a chaste kiss to his shoulder before pulling back. "Together how?"

"Uh... how? Um... I... uh... what do you think I meant...?"

"I don't know. You'll have to explain."

Inuyasha looked around in a panic. He couldn't very well run off and leave her abandoned on a mountain. But oooooh boy did he want to run. Then she covered her mouth and he knew she was teasing him. His first instinct was to say something mean, something sarcastic. But...

"To by my mate, Kagome."

She gasped at his words and he knelt beside her. He heard that some people asked like that. He guessed maybe they were begging or something. There were worse things in life than begging he supposed. When it is that important.

She was silent for one terrifying minute. Though it seemed like hours. Days. Millions of scenarios popped in his head as he imagined all the ways she would turn him down. He even braced himself for the sitting of a lifetime.

She opened her mouth, then closed it again. She was thinking.

That couldn't be good.

"When the battle is over, and you ask me again, know that my answer will be yes. But... I think that... um... how do I say this nicely...?"

"Just spit it out," he said, still trying to process if her yes was a yes but it was a future yes not a now yes, so was that even really a yes?

"I think that until we are ready to... um... be officially together," she tried not to giggle at that, and he wished he knew what she was thinking, "We may not want to... advertise it."

"Huh?"

"You don't do well being teased, Inuyasha," she said kindly. Then she sighed. "And we both know they will tease."

His ears perked up and he grinned, "So its a yes? But a secret yes?"

Kagome threw herself into his arms, and he let her knock them both to the ground. She looked down at him and he had never seen anything so beautiful and perfect in his entire life.

"Yes!"

It wasn't officially official. She wasn't his mate yet.

But she would be.

And to think… he actually had homework to thank for the help

Still hated it though.

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Author's Note:

Thank you all for sticking with me through the story. I've loved every moment of it and treasure many of the wonderful reviews you have left me. And goodness! There were so many fantastic ideas out there, I wish I had been able to use them all. But I gave myself a limit and decided to stick to it.

Well, mostly.

You may all thank JohnDoe-78 for submitting an idea that I couldn't not write. It just seemed like a very fitting way to end the series.

Thanks again everyone!


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